Passport sign-in now needed to use MSN Search?

[Marcia]

I've been getting this on and off for a few days at MSN Search [search.msn.com]:

Sorry, the system is not working properly.

That's with the www. but if I remove the www. part I'm being redirected to sign in through MSN .NET Passport, with the username already entered. When entering the password, the search is accessed.

Is it M$ paranoia, or could it be a possibility that it'll be necessary to sign in to be able to use their search now?

[ikbenhet1]

Hi Marcia,

with [www...] it shows the error message.

Without www i can search. even when i logout of passport.

Nothing to worry i guess. (Unless it is Geo targetted.)

[heini]

What? That would be the craziest move I ever heard about from a mass search service. Can't imagine their PPC partners would be happy anyway.

[Marcia]

I can't get to the search without signing in. Not at all, not for days. So that means you must have a passport identity first.

>>>Can't imagine their PPC partners would be happy anyway.<<<

Which could be anybody's_guess for all we know. Strange thing to do, unless there's techical difficulty or something brewing.

[IanTurner]

I'm having no problems with [search.msn.com...]

which appears to be the default if you search from www.msn.com

Can you go to www.msn.com and search from there?

[oilman]

working fine from here. If I go to search.msn.com I get the error but if I just search from msn.com it's no problem at all. I'm doing it from Opera so there is no access to my passport file (at least that I know of)

[nancyb]

works fine for me. either with www or search - no errors. But - after getting there and searching I'm redirected to [g.msn.com...] for any menu option chosen which redirects to [something].msn.com.

I'm also using opera with everything turned off including cookies (had to sign in here again because I forgot to turn them on again :) I don't think I have a "passport", at least I can't remember ever signing up for one

[martinibuster]

Wow! That's weird. I can't get there with www.

Sorry, the system is not working properly.

I can get there without the www. That is so weird. It might explain the anemic referrals I've been getting from them.

Is this the opening of another chapter in the Search Engine soap operas? Is MSN up to something in order to protect it's portal business? Or is it simply choking?

[Marcia]

>>from msn.com it's no problem at all

If I try to search from msn.com I still get redirected to the passport sign-in page.

[IanTurner]

I assume you are using WindowsXP - I use 2000 which may have a bearing on how it is working.

But it is definitely not a good situation.

[bird]

Well, that only makes sense to me from a security point of view. After all, the safest service is one that nobody can use... ;)

[chompy]

I have been having the same error message when using the www. However it does work without 'www' and passport does not appear for me. Doe anyone think the results it is providing are the latest? I was sure i was listed differently before this error occured..but then i might just be imagining it.

[highman]

no probs from here using;

[msn.com...] or

[search.msn.com...]

Win 2000 IE6

[Learning Curve]

Do you ever get the feeling that MSN is the ugly step child of the Microsoft family?

A bit neglected. A bit of an embarrassment. Almost hoping it runs away.

[chompy]

hmm peculiar I just clicked highmans' link and it works!?! Im on XP IE5 maybe I should have tried Mozilla now that i have it just in case!