I have a hotmail account and have a sign in failure. When I try to sign in I get the message that the ID or password is incorrect. I tried to change the password but couldn't because I was asked a security question that I had never entered and even though I gave a correct answer I was told that it was incorrect

Someone has hacked your account would be the answer most likely. Close the email account or just open a new one.

Hi
Hotmail is now called Outlook, and an inability to sign on usually means that the username or password entered is incorrect according to their records. If you go to the login page you will find two options below the sign in button ie Can't access your account and Sign in with a single use code.
If you try either one of these and follow the instructions the you should be able to get into your account. Once in I suggest that you change your password for future access.
Hope this is helpful, if so would you please register that with Fixya
Cheers

On the Hotmail sign-in page, click the "Can't access your account?" link.

Cancel an MSN Hotmail Account
MSN Hotmail is a free email service. If you signed up for an MSN Hotmail account and no longer use or want the account, you can cancel it.
It takes little time to cancel the account.
You only need to log in to your account to get started.
Sign in to your Hotmail account using your Windows Live ID and password.
Click the "Options" button located at the top right of the page and select "More options" from the drop-down menu.
You will be taken to a page where you can view options for managing your Hotmail account.

Look to the section labeled "Manage your account" and click the "View and edit your personal information" link.
Click the "Close account" link at the bottom of the page under the "Additional options" section.
Verify your password and click "Yes" to cancel your Hotmail account.


Cancel an MSN Hotmail Account
MSN Hotmail is a free email service. If you signed up for an MSN Hotmail account and no longer use or want the account, you can cancel it.
It takes little time to cancel the account.
You only need to log in to your account to get started.
Sign in to your Hotmail account using your Windows Live ID and password.
Click the "Options" button located at the top right of the page and select "More options" from the drop-down menu.
You will be taken to a page where you can view options for managing your Hotmail account.

Look to the section labeled "Manage your account" and click the "View and edit your personal information" link.
Click the "Close account" link at the bottom of the page under the "Additional options" section.
Verify your password and click "Yes" to cancel your Hotmail account.
Recover a Hijacked Hotmail Account
Hotmail is one of the older free Web-based email services.
Unfortunately, its age and its popularity can make it a target for hackers and other online troublemakers.
If your Hotmail account is hijacked, the hacker may change your password to keep you from logging back in to the account.
Fortunately, Microsoft gives users the opportunity to prove that a hijacked account is really theirs so that changed passwords and stolen accounts can be recovered by their rightful owners.
Attempt to log in to your Hotmail account.
If you receive a message saying that your username or password is incorrect, click the "Forgot Your Password?" link under the password field.
A page will load giving you three options for resetting your password.
Click the "I Think Someone Else Is Using My Windows Live ID" option on the password reset page. Click the "Reset Your Password" link in the instructions that appear.
Enter your Hotmail account address in the "Windows Live ID" field and type the characters that appear in the captcha image in the "Characters" field.
Click "Next" to continue the password reset process.
Select an option for resetting your password when prompted.
If you have a secondary email account included with your Hotmail account, clicking "Email Me a Reset Link" will send a link to that account which lets you reset your password.
Clicking "Security Question" prompts you with the security question you set up previously, allowing you to reset your password after answering correctly.
If neither of these options work for you, click "Customer Support" to contact Hotmail customer support and have your password reset.
Click "Next" after selecting an option.
Enter a new password when you receive access to the password reset screen.
Hotmail recommends that you create a strong password with a combination of letters, numbers, symbols and varying capitalization to make it more difficult for would-be hijackers to guess it.
Run a thorough antivirus and spyware search on your computer to make sure that you don't have a keylogger or other password-theft software installed on your PC
Such software could allow a hacker to gain access to your account again after the password has been reset.

When you log in to MSN a website powered by Microsoft you also log in to its Hotmail and Messenger programs.

Hotmail is MSN's email program, while Messenger is an instant messaging and networking program.

Because Messenger and Hotmail are connected to MSN, if you have problems logging into one program, you'll likely have issues logging in to all of them.

Register for Account

The first step to logging in to any MSN-powered sites is to have a Windows Live ID.

This includes an email address, which acts as your username, as well as a password.

The email address must end in either "@hotmail.com," "@live.com" or "@msn.com."

Even though these emails use different domain names, all can be accessed by logging in to the Hotmail homepage.

If you try to log in to MSN or any of its partner sites like Hotmail or Messenger using anything but a Windows Live ID, you won't be allowed to access or create a profile and will be prompted to create a Windows Live account.

Incorrect Password

The most likely reason you aren't able to sign in to your MSN accounts is user error.

Entering an incorrect email address or password will return an error message, informing you that either the email address you provided isn't registered with MSN, or that you entered an incorrect password.

MSN and, hence, Hotmail and Messenger passwords are case sensitive, so check your keyboard's settings before retyping your password a second time.

If you don't remember your password but know your Windows Live ID, you can opt to reset your password by answering some security questions pertaining to your account.

Browser Issues

A slow browser can impact your ability to log in to your MSN accounts.

Try deleting your browser's cookies and clearing its cache before attempting to sign in again. This process varies from browser to browser.

For example, in Internet Explorer, click on the gear icon, "Internet Options" and click "Delete" under Browsing History.

Check the "Cookies" box and click "Delete."

Internet Issues

A slow Internet connection can also hinder your login attempts.

Check your Internet connection to make sure you're connected to the Internet.

Also, check that you're working online instead of offline, which can prevent you from logging in.

Click on the "File" tab at the top of your browser, and make sure there's not a check mark next to the words "Work Offline."

If there is, click on the words to uncheck that option and sign in again.

There might be some interference from another browser
Create the menu tab on your homepage right click in the top toolbar you should see a number of toolbar options select the menu tab which will add File Edit View Favorites Tools and Help

Click on the tools at the bottom of the drop down list will be internet options or
click start control panel internet options you will see a home page box To Create Page Tabs type

each adress on its own line (type in MSN.com) or you preferred home page and browser
below that will be change search defaults click on settings you will see all search providers you have if dont need any of them you can disable or remove them.

Hope this helps.

did id say password wrong or did you receive any other error message?

It's quite likely that somebody has "hacked" your ID/password, and is "hijacking" your ID to send thousands of E-mail messages.

Access http://www.hotmail.com to make sure that you are getting the "real" Hotmail web-site, not some imposter.

Point at the "sign in" area, and click the now-visible "Sign In" button.

Click "Forgot your password", and follow the instructions for answering your "secret" questions.

Correctly answer the questions, and you'll get to change the password.

Hello

- It seems like somebody has hacked into your hotmail account and changed your password so you are unable to sign in.
- If messenger is tellling you: WRONG USER NAME OR PASSWORD it is that. - Otherwise try uninstalling and reinstalling msn messenger and see how it goes. - A good way to check if the password is WRONG (therefore changed) is go to www.hotmail.com and insider there put in your email and password (the ones you think are the good ones and see if it is telling you that the password is incorrect.

Failing to sign in is another thing. To check if it is a problem at your home on your computer use www.meebo.com and try sign in there. If you are able to sign in then the reinstall of msn messenger should solve your problem.

One last thing if you installed a firewall make sure that msn messenger is added as an exception in the allow programs as you will keep encountering this problem.

you will have to setup you windows live on your hotmail first

Occasionally, you may have to change or reset the password for your Windows Live ID to sign in to Zune.net or to access your Zune account.

To change or reset the password for your Windows Live ID, follow these steps:
1. Visit the following Web page, and then click Forgot Your Password?: http://login.live.com (http://login.live.com) 2. Type your Windows Live ID, type the characters that appear in the Picture box, and then click Continue. 3. Click Send yourself a password reset e-mail message. 4. Click Send Message. 5. On the confirmation page, click Done. 6. Sign in to your e-mail account, and then click the link in the e-mail message to reset your password. 7. On the Confirm your e-mail address page, type your e-mail address, and then click Continue. 8. Type your new password two times, and then click Continue. 9. If you want to enter an "alternate" e-mail address, type the address two times, and then click Continue.

If you do not want to enter an "alternate" e-mail address, click Skip. 10. When you receive the "You've changed your password" message, click Done.For more information about Windows Live ID services, visit the following Windows Live ID Web site: http://get.live.com/getlive/overview

request password ?.from hotmail or set new password
does it not have a hint qustion ?

riz.