I need assistance in reestablishing my Hotmail account access. 
Several months ago my hard drive failed and I lost access to
everything on it - including my ability to access my Hotmail account. 
I have purchased a new PC and want to access my Hotmail account but
don't know how to start.  I am on an IBM NetVista PC with Microsoft
Windows Me – I access my mail on Outlook Express and was able to
access my Hotmail there.

I’m a bit of a dummy at these things and would like a step-by-step way
of getting back to where I was before the crash – I know the Hotmail
address and think I remember the password.

Hello,

It looks like you are also caught up with this problem.
Here is the process to setup your hotmail with your Outlook
Express(OE).
To add your Hotmail account to Outlook Express, select Tools |
Accounts... from the menu. Click Add and select Mail. Enter your name,
click Next and input your Hotmail address. Select Next again, and do
not change the next screen. Just click Next and enter your Hotmail
password. Next (yes, once more) and Finish the process of adding a
Hotmail account to Outlook Express.

Hotmail with Outlook Express 
http://windows.about.com/library/weekly/aa020512a.htm

This issue is discussed here in Google groups also.
http://groups.google.com/groups?hl=en&lr=&ie=UTF-8&oe=utf-8&threadm=8h6jol%24sm8%241%40newsg1.svr.pol.co.uk&rnum=2&prev=/groups%3Fq%3Doutlook%2Bexpress%2Bsetup%2Bfor%2Bhotmail%26hl%3Den%26lr%3D%26ie%3DUTF-8%26oe%3Dutf-8%26selm%3D8h6jol%2524sm8%25241%2540newsg1.svr.pol.co.uk%26rnum%3D2

Search terms used:

Google groups:

outlook express setup for hotmail: 
http://groups.google.com/groups?num=25&hl=en&lr=&ie=UTF-8&oe=utf-8&q=outlook+express+setup+for+hotmail&btnG=Google+Search

I hope this will resolve your problem. If you need any clarification,
do let me know. If you are satisfied with this answer, then do rate
it.

Have a nice day.
netcrazy

---

Request for Answer Clarification by amsterdam-ga on 07 Aug 2002 10:13 PDT

I still cannot get access to my Hotmail account.  I followed your
directions and under Outlook Express tried to access my Hotmail. 
Something happens – millions of bytes are exchanged over several hours
as I wait – then I get the message “Unable to poll for new messages on
your HTTP server.  Account: 'Hotmail', Server:
'http://services.msn.com/svcs/hotmail/httpmail.asp', Protocol:
HTTPMail, Server Response: '', Port: 0, Secure(SSL): No, Socket Error:
12002, Error Number: 0x800CCC19”

I’m sure thee must be hundreds of junk mail out there – but nothing
arrives and I’m unable to user the account still.  Any further
suggestions?  Am I supposed to “synchronize” the account or set up
folders or something?

---

Clarification of Answer by netcrazy-ga on 07 Aug 2002 11:48 PDT

Hi,

Check out this article from Microsoft site. It looks like that there
is some problem with your proxy settings in IE. The details are
available here.
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=KB;EN-US;q259133&

There could be another possibility that the password given is
incorrect and as a result, you are getting this error. Check about
this over here:
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=KB;EN-US;Q261671&
 
Also, see this page of ninemsn, about the resolution of your problem.
http://ninemsn.com.au/support/hotmail/OE/pollingproblem.asp

Google group has a thread discussing various solutions to this error.
http://groups.google.com/groups?q=Unable+to+poll+for+new+messages+on&hl=en&lr=&ie=UTF-8&oe=utf-8&selm=u9zG8c8RBHA.1472%40tkmsftngp04&rnum=1

Search term used:

Google Groups: 

Unable to poll for new messages: 
http://groups.google.com/groups?num=25&hl=en&lr=&ie=UTF-8&oe=utf-8&q=Unable+to+poll+for+new+messages&btnG=Google+Search

I hope this will help.

Regards,
netcrazy

sorry - this was insufficient for me to reaccess my hotmail account.