Solved Earthlink.net email service vs Windows 8.1

If I understand what I was told by my friend who has Earthlink.net, if one installs Windows 8.1 on a computer that Earthlink can no longer support their email on Windows 8.1 as described below:

I have a friend who is a longtime user of Earthlink's email service. She had a problem with her service and had to get technical help. She has the same system I have; an HP 500-056 with Windows 8.

During the conversation toward the end of the solution to her problems, she told the tech that she has a friend (me) who will soon be updating her system to Windows 8.1.

The tech was horrified and told her not to do it . . . that if she does, Earthlink will not continue to support her. He told her that there are just too many problems with Windows 8.1.

I'm not sure what's going on here, but I'm wondering if Earthlink is just going to give up?

I'm confused here; by what support type is your friend and Earthlink referring to? Earthlink's email service is web-based like my Centurylink email service. I choose to use a email client which has no problems at all.

bassfisher6522 said:

I'm confused here; by what support type is your friend and Earthlink referring to? Earthlink's email service is web-based like my Centurylink email service. I choose to use a email client which has no problems at all.

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Yes, I know it's web based, but she had a problem with getting her email off the web. I do know that Earthlink is a for-pay service and she's had it for years and years and years. She had to call Earthlink tech service and that's what the tech told her. I don't understand it either, but thought I should post . . . maybe someone with Earthlink who knows more about it than I do can check with them?

Yeah, I use Thunderbird and get all my email through it.

OK...suggest to your friend to try a(n) email client and see if she can get her emails that way. If that works, then it's on Earthlinks end, if it doesn't work then there is something wrong with the email account itself....settings, ports, and so on. Also, if possible, try said procedures on other systems, one with 7, 8 and 8.1 and see how that goes.

bassfisher6522 said:

OK...suggest to your friend to try a(n) email client and see if she can get her emails that way. If that works, then it's on Earthlinks end, if it doesn't work then there is something wrong with the email account itself....settings, ports, and so on. Also, if possible, try said procedures on other systems, one with 7, 8 and 8.1 and see how that goes.

Click to expand...

The problem is fixed for now. The tech just told her not to install 8.1 or Earthlink could no longer support her. I don't know if it will or will not run with Windows 8.1.

I have already tried to get her to use an email client, but she wouldn't hear of it. She's past retirement age and is set in her ways. If her old laptop hadn't crashed and burned, there's no way she would have tried Windows 8. However, when we set the HP up, she took to Win 8 like a duck to water . . . Go figure!

I am using Earthlink web mail with Windows 8.1 x64 with no issues.

What problems is your friend having?

Thanks, PBCopter.

Since the issue was fixed, I really don't know what it was. I do know that I wasn't getting emails she sent, nor was she getting emails I sent.

However, I'm glad to see you're using Earthlink with 8.1 with no issues.

I think what the tech was warning her about is that if she updates to 8.1 and has more issues, Earthlink won't be able to give her support. Which, in my estimation, doesn't bode well for Earthlink's future.

Then again, it could be that the tech didn't know what he was talking about. Or maybe Earthlink's just not ready with a version that will actually run well with Win 8.1. Lotsa guesses here.

So far the solution has been to get her email through the Windows version of Mail. Just cleaning up a few solutions I hadn't marked. Thanks to all.