Email on Windows 8 - using own domain name

[Kingsland Codger]

A dear old Windows XP laptop died on me last week and so I purchased a new laptop that had Windows 8 installed - no other option was available.

 

For email I use my own domain name but I can't for the life of me see how I can configure the Mail app thingy to use my own domain name. It started off telling me I had to have a Microsoft Account (which I don't especially want and certainly will never use).

 

Any ideas/suggestions/recommendations on how to handle this specific problem welcomed.

[buctootim]

Never used it, but saw this. It may help.

http://office.microsoft.com/en-gb/web-apps-help/set-up-email-in-windows-8-mail-HA102834576.aspx

[saintbletch]

A dear old Windows XP laptop died on me last week and so I purchased a new laptop that had Windows 8 installed - no other option was available.

 

For email I use my own domain name but I can't for the life of me see how I can configure the Mail app thingy to use my own domain name. It started off telling me I had to have a Microsoft Account (which I don't especially want and certainly will never use).

 

Any ideas/suggestions/recommendations on how to handle this specific problem welcomed.

 

I've not used Windows 8 Kingsland Codger but it could be that the you simply need a Microsoft account to identify your machine with Microsoft's servers. For example, my Android-based phone asks me to give it a Google account so that it can sync my photos, calendars, music, etc. That doesn't stop me telling the email application on my phone to go and get email from my own domains.

 

If I were you, I'd create a Microsoft account to allow the machine to be identified and then in the Windows 8 email app (or Outlook / Outlook Express) setup your email account per buctootim's link.

[Kingsland Codger]

Many thanks for these suggestions. I downloaded an email client called Thunderbird and it seems happy to allow me to configure it for a couple of pop3 accounts and all is working well. It might not be want the professionals at Microsoft are trying to achieve, but it is good enough for my modest requirements.