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How to troubleshoot Outlook when you cannot send or receive e-mail

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Article ID:286040
Last Review:March 21, 2007
Revision:4.0
This article was previously published under Q286040
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SUMMARY

This article describes how to troubleshoot common Microsoft Outlook configuration problems that may occur when you use Internet E-mail services. The article describes the following troubleshooting methods:
•Create a new e-mail profile
•Verify your Internet connection
•Set TCP/IP as the default protocol
This article is intended for a beginning to intermediate computer user.You may find it easier to follow the steps if you print this article first.

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Method 1: Create a new e-mail profile

Step 1: Open the "Mail Setup" dialog box

1. Click Start, click Run, type Control in the Open box, and then click OK.
2. If you see the Pick a category view, click User Accounts.

If you do not see the Pick a category view, go to the next step.
3. In Control Panel, double-click Mail.

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Step 2: Start the New Profile wizard

1.Click Show Profiles.
2.Click Add to start the New Profile wizard.

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Step 3: Create a profile

1.In the Profile Name box, type Test, and then click OK to name the new e-mail profile.
2.Follow these steps, as appropriate for the version of Outlook that you are running:
•Microsoft Office Outlook 2007
a. Click to select the Manually configure server settings check box.
b. Click Next.
c. On the Choose E-mail service page, click Internet E-mail.
d. Click Next.
e. Make sure that the Account Type setting is set to POP3.
f. Fill in the boxes with the information that is provided by the Internet service provider (ISP) or by the e-mail administrator.
g. Click Next, follow the prompts to finish setting up your account, and then click Finish.
•Microsoft Office Outlook 2003 and earlier versions of Outlook
1.Click Add a new e-mail account.
2.Click Next.
3.Click POP3.
4.Click Next.
5.Fill in the boxes with the information that is provided by the Internet service provider (ISP) or by the e-mail administrator.
6.Click Next.
7.Click Finish.

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Step 4: Set the default profile

1.In the When Starting Microsoft Outlook, use this profile box, click to select the new profile.
2.Click OK.
3.Use the procedure in the "How to verify that the problem is resolved" section to verify that the problem is resolved.

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Method 2: Verify your Internet connection

Step 1: Exit Outlook

On the File menu, click Exit.

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Step 2: Connect to the Internet

If you use Dial-Up Networking to connect to the Internet, follow these steps:
1.Click Start, click Run, type command netconnections in the Open box, and then click OK.
2.Right-click the connection that you use in Outlook, and then click Connect.
3.Close the Network Connections window.

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Step 3: Open a command prompt

Click Start, click Run, type command in the Open box, and then click OK.

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Step 4: Use the PING command

1.At the prompt, type ping search.live.com, and then press ENTER.
2.If the words "Reply from" appear four times, the PING protocol was successful. Continue to the next step.

If another message appears, the computer has an Internet connection problem or a networking problem. Note the response, and then contact the network administrator or the ISP.
3.At the prompt, type ping servername.com. In this command, servername is the name of your ISP server.

If the words "Reply from" appear four times, the PING protocol was successful. Additionally, the domain name system (DNS) settings are functioning correctly.
4.At the prompt, type EXIT and then press ENTER.
5.Use the procedure in the "How to verify that the problem is resolved" section to verify that the problem is resolved.

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Method 3: Set TCP/IP as the default protocol

Note If you use Dial-Up Networking to connect to the Internet, do not use this method.

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Step 1: Open the "Network Connection Properties" dialog box

1.Click Start, and then click My Computer.
2.Under Other Places, right-click My Network Places, and then click Properties.
3.Right-click your connection to the Internet, and then click Properties.

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Step 2: Verify that the connection uses TCP/IP

1.On the General tab, make sure that the Internet Protocol (TCP/IP) check box is selected. If it is not selected, click to select it.
2.Click OK.
3.Click Yes if you are prompted to restart your computer.
4.Use the procedure in the "How to verify that the problem is resolved" section to verify that the problem is resolved.

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How to verify that the problem is resolved

1.Follow these steps, as appropriate for the version of Outlook that you are running:
•Outlook 2007 and Outlook 2003
a. Click Start, and then point to All Programs.
b. Point to Microsoft Office, and then click Microsoft Office Outlook 2003 or Microsoft Office Outlook 2007.
•Outlook 2002 and earlier versions of Outlook
a. Click Start, and then point to All Programs.
b. Click Microsoft Outlook.
2.Send an e-mail message to yourself.
3.Click Send/Receive.
4.If you successfully receive the message, you have completed troubleshooting the problem.

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Similar problems and solutions

For a Microsoft Outlook 2000 version of this article, see 254832 (http://support.microsoft.com/kb/254832/).
For a Microsoft Outlook 98 version of this article, see 256572 (http://support.microsoft.com/kb/256572/).
For a Microsoft Outlook 97 version of this article, see 256574 (http://support.microsoft.com/kb/256574/).

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MORE INFORMATION

Information services

Outlook uses information services for the following functions:
•To send, to store, and to receive messages and items
•To specify where to store addresses
For more information about information services, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:
289467 (http://support.microsoft.com/kb/289467/) User Profiles and Information Services
The Internet E-mail service contains the settings that are transmitted to the e-mail server. These settings authenticate you, and they authorize the server to deliver your e-mail messages.

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APPLIES TO
•Microsoft Office Outlook 2007
•Microsoft Office Outlook 2003
•Microsoft Outlook 2002 Standard Edition

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Keywords: 
kbhowto kbexpertiseinter kbceip kbtshoot kbemail kbconfig KB286040

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