How To Avoid Viruses At Windows Install Time?

reallocate writes "Can a home user install and update Windows without being attacked by a virus or worm? I'm a Linux user; have been since 1995. Recently, I needed to install Windows XP Pro on a home desktop machine with a Roadrunner cable connection. I tried twice. Both times, the machine was attacked and rendered unusable before I was able to pull down the first update from Windows Update." Read on for more details of what went wrong and when.

Here's a synopsis of my install method:

1. Put the Windows XP CD in the drive;
2. Disconnect the cable modem from the network card;
3. Reboot and install Windows;
4. The box remains off the net during the entire install: no registering, no setting up an ISP, no activation, no network configuration, no nothing. (BTW, the only networking component that I install is tcp/ip. All the other MS stuff never gets on the machine.)
5. Reboot; Windows runs and all is well;
6. Install the current version of Norton Internet Security Professional from a shrinkwrapped CD (firewall, anti-virus, etc.);
7. Configure the Roadrunner net connection and reboot to pick up a DHCP lease;
8. Launch the Norton update facility (per Norton's recommendation, the built-in XP firewall is turned off);
9. Complete the Norton update and reboot;
10. Launch Windows Update;
11. Start to pull down Service Pack One; per Microsoft's instructions, all firewalls are turned off.

That's as far I got. During the first attempt, I acquired a virus or worm before I could finish the Norton update (machine powered down). On the second attempt, I got as far as Windows Update and SP1(continual rebooting).

So...how would you do it?"