Flutterby™! : Installing Windows

One of the big problems with installing Windows is getting online long enough to download the security patches and virus updates without getting infected. Beyond the obvious (ie: Use a Linux box as a router to protect the Windows machine), there appear to actually be some Windows config options you can use to harden the machine before connecting it. This would be particularly useful for computers with dial-up connections where it's harder to put a firewall between the computer and the net.

There's a /. thread on how to install the security patches for XP and 2000 without getting infected by viruses that looks worth filing away for the next time I end up installing that vileness.