Dad was using Outlook 2013 w/provider email. Now has new computer. Help!

October 18, 2014 12:52 PM

I'm pretty decent with computers, but this has me baffled. I tried using Outlook.com's "alias" feature, but that doesn't seem to be working. Help!

Dad was using a laptop with Outlook 2013, and his email address was [e-mail]

He now has a new desktop computer. I got him an outlook.com account, with the email address of [e-mail]. I was able to use Microsoft's migration tool to upload all his email to that, no problem.

NOW, HERE'S WHERE IT GETS CONFUSING. Microsoft says it can use "aliases," *and they do not appear limited to Microsoft domains*. So within Outlook.com, I set up the alias of [e-mail]. I even got a confirmation email at that address.

But, email sent to that address is not showing up in his outlook.com box.

SO:

(1) What am I doing wrong with the aliases? Is there something I am misunderstanding?

(2) Is this the best way for him to get his email using his old email address?

Thank you for whatever guidance you can provide!!

posted by Alaska Jack to Computers & Internet (5 answers total)

Best answer: The aliases feature is probably intended for outbound mail, so it looks like the email is coming from somewhere else.

You'll want to find out whether the ISP offers email forwarding. That'd be the easiest solution, if they provide it.

Alternately, you could try configuring the old account as a POP account within Outlook. Outlook would then automatically pull in emails from the old account every 30 minutes.
posted by cvp at 1:11 PM on October 18, 2014 [2 favorites]

Best answer: Yeah an alias allows it to look like you are sending email from the ISP address. It doesn't have any effect on emails sent to the ISP address.
posted by EndsOfInvention at 2:20 PM on October 18, 2014 [2 favorites]

Best answer: You can also configure Outlook.com to retrieve mail from the old address as well. You would again need to know what the settings and all that are to plug into the thing, but it will fetch mail out of the old account every 30 minutes and then drop it into the Outlook.com account. Here's the relevant knowledge base article with instructions. (This is slightly better than just adding the account back into Outlook.com as it will put the messages in "the cloud", essentially, rather than having them just be on his computer, and it will let you send messages from the old address too. That said, if the point was to get him off of his ISP's email system, the real solution is to change everything that's using that address to use the new one and tell people "hey use this address now" and then just stop using the old account.)
posted by mrg at 2:24 PM on October 18, 2014 [1 favorite]

Best answer: Why are you trying to use Outlook.com? Why not just set up his Office 2013 install with the email settings for [e-mail]?
posted by Jacen Solo at 8:28 PM on October 18, 2014

Response by poster: Thanks everyone!

[Jacen, I originally did not do this because his new computer didn't come with Microsoft Office. Then I suddenly realized -- wait, I have a copy of Microsoft Office myself, somewhere around here! One 25-digit activation key later, and my Dad's in business. Thanks!]
posted by Alaska Jack at 8:53 AM on October 19, 2014