Virgin Media Community

[af4d]

Since a recent Windows update (15th Jan 2021) I can no longer access my Virgin email account using Outlook 2010 (application now just won't start) or Firefox (Virgin website opens OK, but my email account page won't open). I found I can access my email using Microsoft Edge however. Has the Windows update resulted in MS Edge taking over my email and disabling Outlook?

[BillC45 · Accepted solution]

1. Are you now on Win 10 version 20H2? If not, upgrade to that.

2. Outlook 2010 support ceased on 13/10/2020. Put this - “outlook 2010 support ceased” into a browser search and read all about your Outlook options from here on. If you don’t want to buy the latest MS Office product, use Thunderbird instead.

3. If Edge works and Firefox doesn’t – it’a problem with Firefox. Is it up to date? You should be on at least release 84.02. Have you cleared out cache and cookies recently?

4. I hope you are not using old bookmarks to open any aspect of email.

5. Describe precisely how you open VM email (VM Homepage then email link at top of page etc) What happens in any failure to access email – eg – error messages – rotating dots – whatever.

[af4d]

Dear BillC45,

Many thanks for your helpful answer. It's much appreciated.

I'm pleased to report that this problem has seemingly been resolved without any further action on my part, i.e. today I fired up the PC and was able to both access Virgin mail both from my Virgin Media page and Outlook 2010. I'm mystified as to what's been going on over the last two or three days.

In any case, to answer your points:

1. Windows 10 Home, version 2004, OS Build 19041.746

2. Thanks for the reminder about Outlook support. Like many others I've been resisting, but lately seriously considering, upgrading to Office 365 as I agree an upgrade is probably overdue. Just didn't like the subscription-only model.

3. Firefox is up to date (release 84.02). Not cleared cache and cookies but will do so...

4. N/A

5. I normally access email direct through Outlook, and occasionally from my Virgin account (as you describe). Outlook was giving me the message: "Cannot start Microsoft Outlook. Out of memory or system resources. Close some windows or programs and try again." My Virgin email link was giving me a purple screen with the pulsating dots, then "retry".(as I recall)

For now I'm happy that things are working again but the above might be of use to somebody.

Thanks again

[BillC45]

I think you have been running out of memory – failure to load Outlook and Webmail suggests that. Open Task Manager and keep an eye on the Memory usage column from time to time. If it goes above 90% you have a possible problem. Equally your problem could just have been a failed process hogging memory and cured by a system reload.

Don’t forget to replace Outlook 2010 sooner rather than later.

[af4d]

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@BillC45 wrote:

I think you have been running out of memory – failure to load Outlook and Webmail suggests that. Open Task Manager and keep an eye on the Memory usage column from time to time. If it goes above 90% you have a possible problem. Equally your problem could just have been a failed process hogging memory and cured by a system reload.

Don’t forget to replace Outlook 2010 sooner rather than later.

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Points taken, something to keep an eye on in future...

Thanks for your handy advice.