Summary: Hotmail will keep your email for quite a while as long as you access it periodically. And if nothing goes wrong. Then you may have problems.
Do you know how long the item in the hotmail-inbox is preserved? In other words: when will the messages automatically be removes by MSN? Furthermore: does MSN keep a log of all mails received on the incoming mail server? The reason I ask is that I receive legally important mails which I want to be able to reproduce or proof its existence.
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In my opinion, if you need it for legal purposes you should not, not, NOT be using Hotmail. Or any free email service, for that matter.
I have nothing against them, per se, they're fine services when used properly. But if you saw the constant stream of questions I get relating to lost accounts, lost email and worse, and the inconsistent or total lack of customer support at times, you'd understand why I take such a hard line on free email accounts.
I'll answer your question, but I'll also recommend some alternatives.
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First, I have to say this: I am not a lawyer, and this is not legal advice. In fact, one of my pieces of advice below will be to confer with a lawyer for the requirements you might be facing in your situation and jurisdiction.
To the best of my knowledge most email services do not keep a log of incoming email. They deliver it, and then it's up to you to do with it what you will. The amount of data to keep a log of everything would be enormous. However, whether they do or do not, is also not something I would count on at all.
My current understanding is that Windows Live Hotmail will keep your mail:
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As long as you keep the account open, and access it at least once a month.
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As long as you do not exceed your storage limits.
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As long as your account is not lost, compromised or stolen.
Of course, everything is subject to change without notice, but that's a fairly basic list for any provider.
The third point is what too many people stumble into. Accounts do get lost for a variety of reasons; everything from simply forgetting a password to actual account theft. When accounts are lost, everything is gone. All your mail is gone, your contacts and whatever else you had included with the account. (Often your friends and family start getting spammed as well.)
I hear about it every day.
Which is why I've been saying for years now: don't rely on any free email services as the only place to keep anything important.
Back. It. Up.
If you rely on Hotmail (or Gmail or Yahoo Mail or whatever mail) as the sole repository for important documents (apparently legally important documents in your case) you are playing with fire. You are at the mercy of that service, and if something should happen and you lose access you may have no recourse. None at all.
Back. It. Up.
My favorite way to back up services like Hotmail or Gmail is to configure a desktop email program to download email to your PC, where a) it's in your control, and b) you can back it up as you backup the rest of your computer.
But that's just one option.
In fact, if you have legal issues around which you're about to rely on email, I suggest you speak to an attorney. Hotmail may not be enough (especially if you lose access), downloading may not be enough, you may need to take additional steps (even, perhaps, printing the messages out). Again, your attorney can advise on what you need to do to make sure you're safe.
What I can tell you is that relying on free email services is not something I would feel safe doing, at all.
Article C3955 - December 19, 2009
With regard to back up and reliability for free accounts. I use gmail for my main account, 6 years so far. I like Gmail, it is reliable, a great spam filter and it is evolving into a very useful utility for communication and storage. I have had few problems with it in the years I've been using Gmail. Back Up: I have two external hard disks of scanned important documents. But for conviniance I send those docs to gmail in case I am away from my home for easy access. For important business emails or other important email. I forward key email on an automatic filter to go to a yahoo account and to an ulternate gmail account. This way I create a back up without having to remember everytime. Thus I have several Yahoos and several gmail accounts, but only really use one gmail, the others are simply storage. I set a reminder to log into all of my accounts using Google's calander. But to be sure, any important emails are always printed out. Being a gmail user, logging into Yahoo is irritating. The adverts make me nuts, on the other hand, Gmail is so non intrusive, the desktop is plesent and the folder system is great. I do find myself actually clicking on some of the advert feeds on Gmail just because often enough they spark my interest. Again, non intrusive; just there enough, as if being polite. And with that, Leo is right, back up everything important not trusting anyone particular service or devise.
Posted by: Todd Banks at December 22, 2009 8:14 PMI don't understand all of the ado over emails. If they're that important, either make two copies of them (printers costs as little as $30) and store them in separate places, or buy one or two of those flash drives. You can get Kingston ones for around $15 (4GB). I'm not a business person, but I could imagine if I were one, the emails would pile up fast. But I print the important ones and dump the rest. Why is backing up emails such a problem? There's enough work to do in backing up a computer, why complicate things by throwing the emails in? I gave what I feel are two methods of safekeeping emails, start using them.
Posted by: Charles Tilley at December 24, 2009 7:39 AMThanks for the Hotmail answers. Once in a while something in an email either teaches me something I was not aware of or makes me relook my security and behaviour. One thing not mentioned here is that hotmail can also mysteriously loose ALL your email folders in the account. When this happens they will never answer you directly. If you are persistent the might let you know they regret what happened but will also accept no responsibility. The regrets will be in a form letter, not a personal response. I lost a message that was of historical importance that can never be recovered. I now save those mails to files on my computer and back those files up!
Posted by: Norman Rondeau at December 26, 2009 5:58 PMTwo thoughts, if I may -
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Carl G. wrote, December 22, 2009 6:53 PM
"Hotmail is a free (you get what you pay for)"
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Posted by: Robin Clay at December 27, 2009 6:36 AMTreat all e-mails as if they were postcards, i.e. anyone can read them, and may even be able to edit them, before OR after you see them.
You can use the services of bigfoot.com to redirect your mail. You'll have one permanent email address (name@bigfoot.com). You can change your email provider, update your new email address in bigfoot and get your mail to your new address.
Posted by: Meir Zygman at February 9, 2010 4:44 AM