Outlook/ hotmail problem. Help!

[Sea Chief]

Hi chaps,

I've just had a strange thing happen to my hotmail acc. My inbox deluged with all manner of emails from 2014, 2015, 18,20, all mixed up often duplicates, most seemingly having been once rcvd in both inbox/ expected, but also as much junk too. My whole inbox is effectively ruined by this.

I did not innitiate itby doing anything daft, clicking on any email I shouldnt have ( Im careful, wary of such emails). I did send a photo in an email just beforehand, to a known supplier company I use for a decade+ so I can't think this has any connection bar timing, a coincidence I guess.

Anyone heard of this? Never anything like it happened to me before. Ive signedut/ in again, same. Powered off ipad/ on, same.

It seems like a hotmail/ outlook glitch.. rather than any obvious scam or malware thing.

Thanks for reading, SC

[Sea Chief]

Chaps/ anyone,

it seems possibly like my whole inbox has been rearranged alphabetically. Somehow. Meaning a total nightmare/ unuseable.

Does anyone have any ideas?

[xtian]

Sounds like you're sorting by From name instead of date received. Each email app has a different menu system. In Outlook:

https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/...3-c100a163c140

[Sea Chief]

Sounds like you're sorting by From name instead of date received. Each email app has a different menu system. In Outlook:

https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/...3-c100a163c140

Filter! Thats done it/ followed my nose from there. crikey.. thought Id had a huge malware attack jeepers! Panic over.

How that suddenly happened a total mystery but nevermind. Thanks xtian.

[Chuck H]

Filter! Thats done it/ followed my nose from there. crikey.. thought Id had a huge malware attack jeepers! Panic over.

How that suddenly happened a total mystery but nevermind. Thanks xtian.

If you "accepted" any updates from the mail service, OS provider or the computer manufacturer and there is any relationship between them (and there often is) or if you reloaded any related software or apps the change to your sorting could have been a default with the update or reload.

[TomCarlos]

Lot's of folks who use services like Yahoo mail, Hotmail etc, use a web browser and access mail in the cloud. Guys like me prefer to have a POP3 or IMAP connection and feed mail into Outlook. I didn't think Outlook defaults would change. In any event, I always move the Outlook.pst file to an easier location to find and make sure it is part of a "Data File Only" backup scheme. I put my data files on a separate drive ("E") and backup religiously. I backup the "C" drive now and then, only when I see updates to the O/S have been applied or if I installed a new App which is also stored on the C drive. Perhaps that is a separate issue. BUT... I mention the PST file because if there is ever a problem with mail, I can either read in the prior PST or take that PST to a different computer and open it up.

It is easy to click on a screen (intentionally or unintentionally) and something changes. I find this is easier to do with APPS like Excel or Word. I have rarely seen Outlook "appear to be different" after nearly 5 years as I am still using Office 2016. Now if I jump to Office 365, that could be another story as Office will automatically apply updates so who knows how your screens might look tomorrow!! That is the risk with Oulook 365 (or so I have been told).

[Sea Chief]

If you "accepted" any updates from the mail service, OS provider or the computer manufacturer and there is any relationship between them (and there often is) or if you reloaded any related software or apps the change to your sorting could have been a default with the update or reload.

Hi Chuck. No I definitely didn't, in fact I've never known any update prompt ever. I must have just pressed filter accidentally then brushed alphabetical inadvertently. Can only be how. At least I know how to get out of this pickle in the future.

Thank goodness for this computer section of MEF. Countless times ive needed it now!

[Sea Chief]

Lot's of folks who use services like Yahoo mail, Hotmail etc, use a web browser and access mail in the cloud. Guys like me prefer to have a POP3 or IMAP connection and feed mail into Outlook. I didn't think Outlook defaults would change. In any event, I always move the Outlook.pst file to an easier location to find and make sure it is part of a "Data File Only" backup scheme. I put my data files on a separate drive ("E") and backup religiously. I backup the "C" drive now and then, only when I see updates to the O/S have been applied or if I installed a new App which is also stored on the C drive. Perhaps that is a separate issue. BUT... I mention the PST file because if there is ever a problem with mail, I can either read in the prior PST or take that PST to a different computer and open it up.

It is easy to click on a screen (intentionally or unintentionally) and something changes. I find this is easier to do with APPS like Excel or Word. I have rarely seen Outlook "appear to be different" after nearly 5 years as I am still using Office 2016. Now if I jump to Office 365, that could be another story as Office will automatically apply updates so who knows how your screens might look tomorrow!! That is the risk with Oulook 365 (or so I have been told).

Hi Tom Carlos, much appreciate the information. I do sort of get the idea, back up etc, though not the detail.. Im a very new & relatively naiive ipad user.

What I have just found by doing this msiatke for the second time in days ( never, ever done this before) tho is how I did what i did.

Its so simple, & so easy to do it is simply a case of a microsoft design disaster: Just above the most recent email sender's name, is the word 'From'. It is milimetres above. So if you miss by a fraction & tap on 'from' instead... the whole inbox changes, to what in layout form looks like a huge sudden malware attack.

As I've never done this mistake before, I must think that this 'from' placement is a new addition within last few days. It is utter idiocy, as you always go for this exact position to tap on the latest email/ on the person's name to open the email.

I mean FFS. As fab it is to have email free effectively, there are still two HUGE glaring problems in layout design. So utterly page1 it is incredulous not implimented. This stupid new 'From' word placement, & the ommision of an "Email Sent" indicator, anything at all to show that you have actually sent your email. Every damn time i send an email, i have to go into 'sent' folder to check it has been sent. Argh!!!! 5 minutes of design to do!!!! In 20 years, never done!!!!

[Chuck H]

... it is simply a case of a microsoft design disaster:..

I remember a statement I read somewhere regarding this. I'm sorry I can't remember the source but the statement was:

"The day microsoft makes something that doesn't suck is the day they start making vacuum cleaners".

[Sea Chief]

I remember a statement I read somewhere regarding this. I'm sorry I can't remember the source but the statement was:

"The day microsoft makes something that doesn't suck is the day they start making vacuum cleaners".

Omg Im in a new TOTAL pickle.

Ive just mistakenly clicked on 'subject'. This word is placed, like the 'from' above the senders name, above the senders email header. I decided to not click anywhere near the senders name incase I inadvertently click on ' from' again. So im clicking over to the right of this now, to open the most current email.

It has completely messed up my inbox. The whole thing now sorted into every single sent email from this friend. And I cannot seem to revert it back.

Fuck*ng infuriating.

Can anybody help??

[J M Fahey]

There MUST be some date/time related setting.

Probably something like "latest received first" or similar.

Or "return to default" since that appears to be the default setting anyway.

[Dave H]

It has completely messed up my inbox. The whole thing now sorted into every single sent email from this friend. And I cannot seem to revert it back.

Just click on the 'Received' colomn header and it will list your mesages in date order newest at the top.
Click on 'Received' again and it will list the messages in date order oldest at the top.

The other colomn headers work in a similar way.
Click on 'From' and it lists the senders in alphabetical order.
Click 'From' again and it's in reverse alphabetical order.
Click on 'Subject' and the messages are in alphabetical order by subject.
Click 'Subject' again and it switches to reverse alphabetical order.

[Sea Chief]

Sounds like you're sorting by From name instead of date received. Each email app has a different menu system. In Outlook:

https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/...3-c100a163c140

Mistakenly by clicking mm's away from the new email to open it, yes I understand now how I did it.

But why is this new 'from' suddenly appeared where it has?! If it was there before Id have at least once, in 18 yrs with my hotmail acc, have clicked on this stupidly placed word. Drives me mad. With a mouse.. you'll not hit it. But with an ipad.. you just will.

[Sea Chief]

Just click on the 'Received' colomn header and it will list your mesages in date order newest at the top.
Click on 'Received' again and it will list the messages in date order oldest at the top.

The other colomn headers work in a similar way.
Click on 'From' and it lists the senders in alphabetical order.
Click 'From' again and it's in reverse alphabetical order.
Click on 'Subject' and the messages are in alphabetical order by subject.
Click 'Subject' again and it switches to reverse alphabetical order.

Hi Dave. Ok thanks I seem to hsve got it back. Im wary now about opening each new email though. Ridiculous. I even use a pen thing to aim more precisely han a fingertip.. but still I keep hitting these 3 flaming words.. From, subject, received. Theres the filter word over to the RHS.. so why these cant be within this.. I mean i could design things better in 5 seconds, takes a team of nerds years to come up with this nonsense.