I had what sounds like the same or very similar problem on my Windows XP Home SP3 system with Firefox 3.6.10 and Firefox 3.6.17. Upgrading to Firefox 4.0.1 has solved the problem for me.

Can't read Hotmail (Windows Live) when using Firefox versions 3.6.10 and 3.6.17. I am able to login to my account and see mailbox folders and message headers but that's about all I can do. Cannot change to a different folder; cannot select messages; cannot read messages; cannot delete messages; cannot resize Hotmail panes; even the annoying ads do not load. Status bar shows normal activity (e.g., connecting . . ., waiting . . ., loading . . ., etc.) when I attempt to resize panes, read messages, etc.; then, "STOPPED" appears in status bar. I am able to properly sign out of my account.

This had been occurring since on or about 2011-06-15 (Wednesday) and continued through at least 2011-06-18 (Saturday).

These problems did not occur when using Google Chrome 12.0.742.100 or MS Internet Explorer 8.0.6001.18702. Windows XP Home SP3. Admittedly, I do not know if this problem resulted from a Microsoft update to Windows XP, a change in Hotmail, or some other unknown change. (I have not yet checked my other operating systems or browsers to see if this problem is occurring there as well.)

Don't know if upgrading to Firefox 4.0.1 will solve the problem for you. If you find a fix for your system, would like to hear about it. :-)

Hey, just joined up to post since this article helped me. I updated to the latest version of FF (5.0) from 3.6 and hotmail worked like a charm. I am on windows Vista and had the same problem as above, looks like the update fixes things. As always kids, use the latest and greatest! ;)

'I have already upgraded to Firefox 5 , and since yesterday cannot access my Hotmail inbox.. I get a message that the apprpriate aspx file cannot be found.I am on Mac OS 10.6.8.

I just upgraded to Mac Os X Lion on my iMac, now I have this problem too. I am running Firefox 5.0.1

@ jdg857

-> click Firefox button and click Exit

Start Firefox in Safe Mode by Holding down the Option key while starting your Mozilla application.

As an alternate method, go to Utilities (in the Applications folder) and open Terminal, then run:

    /Applications/Firefox.app/Contents/MacOS/firefox-bin -safe-mode 

Firefox will open up with just basic Firefox. Now do this:

-> Update ALL your Firefox Plug-ins https://www.mozilla.com/en-US/plugincheck/

-> Right-click on Tab Strip and unselect All Unwanted/Incompatible Toolbars

-> click Firefox button, go to History Menu and click Clear Recent History... -> Time range to clear: select "EVERYTHING" -> click Details (small arrow) button -> place Checkmarks on Cookies, Cache -> click Clear Now

-> click Firefox button, click Options -> go to General section -> in Startup section click Reset to Default button

-> go to Content section -> place Checkmarks on:

1) Block Pop-up windows 2) Load images automatically 3) Enable JavaScript

-> go to Privacy section -> History section -> Firefox will: select "Remember History"

-> go to Security section -> place Checkmarks on:

1) Warn me when sites try to install add-ons 2) Block reported attack sites 3) Block reported web forgeries

-> go to Advanced section -> Network -> Offline Storage (Cache): click Clear Now button

-> Click OK on Options window

-> click the Favicon on SearchBar -> click Manage Search Engines -> select all Unwanted Search Engines and click Remove -> click OK

-> click the Firefox button, click Add-ons -> Extensions section -> REMOVE All Unwanted/Suspicious/Incompatible Extensions (Add-ons)

-> click the Firefox button, click Add-ons -> Appearance section -> REMOVE All Unwanted/Suspicious/Incompatible Themes (Persona)

-> Restart Firefox

You can enable your Known & Trustworthy Add-ons and Themes later. Check and tell if its working.

Please visit the Plugins Check page and update where necessary. Out of date plugins can cause this kind of problem.

@ help11, disable McAfee Site Advisor.

thanks, the adobe flash beta for Lion fixed the issue. You Rock!

For over a year i could sign-in to hotmail, see email subject but couldn't open them, delete them, manage my folders etc. with Firefox - which ever version. It just stopped working one day and wasn't sure if it was Hotmail upgrade or FIrefox upgrades or some settings in my laptop. It worked on Firefox on other computers though. I read so many forums and none of the solutions worked. BUT i finally found it today and it isn't even an explainable solution. I followed this instructions: http://windowslivehelp.com/thread.aspx?threadid=cc1ebcda-443d-4822-a72c-d263c5dd41ae

Hotmail then replies that it is already using 'https by default', there is no other configuration performed or requested. I already thought that this wasn't a solution and gave up but when i selected to return back to Inbox, everything worked again in hotmail!! I could read, delete, manage hotmail features again.

I hope this works for some other souls that's been suffering like me and had to use other browsers to access hotmail or another Firefox from another computer (that worked).