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I can no longer access my plusnet email address in outlook

Tomo1
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Registered: ‎25-11-2019

I can no longer access my plusnet email address in outlook

I successfully added a plusnet email address to my previous talktalk address in outlook a couple of months ago because talktalk planned to charge me for keeping their address. This morning, however, I was unable to open outlook at all. I am not sure if this is because talktalk have now closed the address, (thereby inadvertently blocking my access to my plusnet address), or this has been caused by myself. Unfortunately, prior to trying to open outlook, I decided to clean up my computer and deleted loads of files in Word, and I am not sure if I have deleted a system file by mistake. I am being asked for an "Outlook Data File Password" for one or other of the talktalk and plusnet addresses and I don't know what this is referring to, or where I can find it. 

Can anyone help? 

16 REPLIES 16
Townman
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Re: I can no longer access my plusnet email address in outlook

Hi,

Which version of Outlook are you using?  If it is "proper" Outlook (20xx) launching Outlook in safe mode might help.  Press <window key>+R to launch the run  box and type: outlook.exe /safe - that will run Outlook in safe mode, which often repairs configuration damage.

Do you know what files you deleted - where from?

Do you have a PC back up you can restore your system from?

You could also try running MS Office repair.

 

Whilst you work out what is wrong, you should be able to access your email using webmail here http://webmail.plus.net

 

Superusers are not staff, but they do have a direct line of communication into the business in order to raise issues, concerns and feedback from the community.

Tomo1
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Registered: ‎25-11-2019

Re: I can no longer access my plusnet email address in outlook

Hi Townman,

Many thanks for your reply.

In answer to your questions:

It is Outlook 2010

I ran outlook.exe/safe without success

I deleted a lot of files from Word, which I thought were simple correspondence and the like. I did back up the files on a memory stick, and did try returning the files transferred, again without success. On reflection, I might have deleted some additional files after the transfer!!! I think they were called something like "my music", "my pictures" "my videos", which had nothing in them, and so I thought it was safe to do so.

I don't have a PC back up

I did try running MS office repair, but again without success.

I am now convinced that the fault is mine - due to somehow uninstalling the outlook data file. Is there any way of rectifying This?

Again, many thanks

Tomo1

 

Townman
Superuser
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Posts: 22,920
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Registered: ‎22-08-2007

Re: I can no longer access my plusnet email address in outlook

There might be a couple of get out of jail free cards here.

1. Was the Outlook mail account configured as POP3 or IMAP?  If IMAP, your email is more than likely still on the server - take a look using http://webmail.plus.net 

2. Are there any .pst or .ost files in the recycle bin?

3. Look up how to repair an Outlook corrupt profile

 

After that it might be an uninstall and reinstall job!

 

Superusers are not staff, but they do have a direct line of communication into the business in order to raise issues, concerns and feedback from the community.

Tomo1
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Posts: 17
Thanks: 3
Registered: ‎25-11-2019

Re: I can no longer access my plusnet email address in outlook

Hi Townman,

Thanks again for your reply. The plot thickens.

I tried again to open outlook and this time it asked me to create a password for access to my talktalk address, which I did, and it opened. Then it asked me for my plusnet password, which I have no clue about, and so it is not showing me any emails in this address. Unfortunately, this is where all the important emails are stored.

The good thing is that at least I am in outlook and so may be able to make some adjustments in Account Settings. 

I no longer think that this was caused by my deleting files, and am wondering if something more sinister is involved???

I have had enough for one day, (quitting while I am ahead), but will try your further suggestions in the morning.

I really do appreciate your help.

Tomo1

Townman
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Re: I can no longer access my plusnet email address in outlook

Plusnet email - if this is the default email address (youraccount@youraccount.plus.com) then the password you need is the same as the one you use to log into the user portal and is used by the router to connect to Plusnet.

If it is a secondary email address (anything@youraccount.plus.com) then if you have forgotten the password, you can change it by accessing the user portal, going to "manage my email" and editing the appropriate email address.

Superusers are not staff, but they do have a direct line of communication into the business in order to raise issues, concerns and feedback from the community.

Tomo1
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Registered: ‎25-11-2019

Re: I can no longer access my plusnet email address in outlook

Hi Townman,

Again thanks for your reply. I have been rummaging around to see what I can find.

I set it up so that the plusnet address is the primary one and talktalk the default. I think this can be swopped quite easily, but I am not sure how this will affect the passwords. It might not recognise either again?

The password I used when setting up the account is the same password I use for Plusnet generally, (I thought that this is what was required). This password is 16 characters but when I try to enter this to open outlook it does not allow me to enter the final character. That is it only seems to allow 15 characters. What would happen if I changed the password I used initially?

I located the outlook data files but it seems to be suggesting that they were only created yesterday? Also, the two files are there for outlook but there are another two for adobe acrobat, (ending pst.tmp). I am not sure why this.

Hope this helps to take me forward.

Tomo1 

Townman
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Re: I can no longer access my plusnet email address in outlook

Outlook data files are constantly being updated / regenerated, also it is easy to confuse created and last updated dates in file explorer.

Changing passwords on email addresses needs some care!  You can change the password on secondary Plusnet email addresses using "Manage my Email" (under Manage my Account) on the user portal.

To change the password on the primary email address, you need to change the password address for your Plusnet User Account - See change password under manage my account in the portal.

 

WARNING: if you change your account password, if you have a recent Plusnet router (Hub Zero or Hub One) the password therein for the internet connection should update automatically.  If it does not, or you have your own password, then you will need to login to the router and do it manually.

A search on the internet suggests that Outlook should accept 16 characters in the password.

 

Superusers are not staff, but they do have a direct line of communication into the business in order to raise issues, concerns and feedback from the community.

Tomo1
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Registered: ‎25-11-2019

Re: I can no longer access my plusnet email address in outlook

Hi T,

Thanks again. Before i go ahead and try the option(s) suggested, could I just check on another possibility? If I start afresh and simply set up the plusnet account as I did originally, will I lose all the emails stored?

Regards

Tomo1

Townman
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Re: I can no longer access my plusnet email address in outlook

Hi,

Before you go any further there is a key question asked which you have not answered - how is Outlook 2020 configured for the Plusnet account - IMAP or POP3?

If you log into that mailbox here - http://webmail.plus.com - can you see all of your email?

 

Usually Outlook does not permit you to have two "accounts" having the same email address.  If the EXISTING account in Outlook is POP3 and you cannot see all of your email in webmail, there is some risk that the wrong approach here could trash all of your historical email!!!

Superusers are not staff, but they do have a direct line of communication into the business in order to raise issues, concerns and feedback from the community.

Tomo1
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Registered: ‎25-11-2019

Re: I can no longer access my plusnet email address in outlook

Hi T,

Its POP3.

For better or worse I have changed the pasword on my user account. I could not see how to change the email password under manage my email so I went into account settings in outlook and changed the passsword where it allowed me to. However, when I originally set up the account I had to enter the password three times in total?

So far, I have received test emails to say that this has worked Ok but nothing else is happening. I am now receiving a message that the server is not available and when the box asking me for the password comes up it is not responding when I try to enter the new password. Help!

Tomo1

Tomo1
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Registered: ‎25-11-2019

Re: I can no longer access my plusnet email address in outlook

Sorry, I should have added that I cannot see any of my historical emails in the web page.

Tomo1

Townman
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Re: I can no longer access my plusnet email address in outlook

Ah well that’s a totally different ball game!

Is this a mailbox you’ve not accessed for a few months ... or have you not acted upon email notifications warning of the risk of or that you have exceeded the FUP?

Sounds as though your mail content has been archived. Take a look at your ticket history - see the link below.

This rather looks as though it needs an email restore.

Superusers are not staff, but they do have a direct line of communication into the business in order to raise issues, concerns and feedback from the community.

Tomo1
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Registered: ‎25-11-2019

Re: I can no longer access my plusnet email address in outlook

Hi T,

I don't understand. The mail box has been used regularly in outlook, (although not in the web browser).

I have received no notifications warning of the risk of FUP (what's this?)

I clicked on PN Tickets. (Is this what you meant).  Could not find anything, only notifications regarding the change of password.

What did I say to suggest the probable cause to you?

Regards

Tomo1

Townman
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Re: I can no longer access my plusnet email address in outlook

 

Doh!!!

I missed one of your responses - POP3!!  When I read "I should have added that I cannot see any of my historical emails in the web page" I (wrongly) jumped to the conclusion that the server contents had been archived, because either the Fair Usage Plicy had been exceeded or that the mailbox had not been accessed.  There seems to be a lot of archived mail accounts around at present.

 

Using POP3 will mean that all of your emails will be on the PC (or lost on the PC), for they will no longer be on PlusNet's servers.

 

 

Superusers are not staff, but they do have a direct line of communication into the business in order to raise issues, concerns and feedback from the community.