Ever since I allowed Microsoft to install a set of hotfixes and updates, my
Outlook 2002 will not connect to any POP3 or SMTP servers. I have accounts
on Verizon and Earthlink, and, at the same time, they stopped connecting.

I have spoken with Verizon tech support, and they verify that I am getting
in to each account from the web interface, but they cannot tell my why I am
getting turned away at the POP3 and SMTP ports. I did not change any other
settings during the updates.

Subsequently, I have deleted all the accounts from the Outlook client and
rebuilt one of them. I have done a complete uninstall and re-install of the
client, and rebuilt one of the accounts again. About the only thing I have
left is to completely rebuild my system.

Again, this happend immediately....and I mean "IMMEDIATELY"....after
downloading and installing all the patches and hotfixes and updates that
Windows Update suggested.

Any ideas?