1) To begin with, MS 'support' has always been shite .. as you mentioned, try calling them, but have a couple sandwiches and beverages handy to get you through the wait.
(not to mention an interpreter)
2) Home users (ie. at your residence) should be running a NAT router (inexpensive) and software firewall (mostly free) regardless what flavor OS they're using.
3) Top those two items off with a decent free anti-virus app
4) Don't be a moron and download stuff like clickthisvirus.exe etc
While no hardcore techie/coder/etc, I've been a Win user for a long time, but MS's current release cycle is even more egregiously cynical than usual, and they can kiss my white ass.
I have two machines running XPpro and they'll continue to do so into the foreseeable future.
I am, however, thanks to Ace and a couple others, going to setup a dual boot on both of 'em w/ some flavor of linux and see how it goes.
If the results seem workable, the two W7u boxes here will be getting the same makeover.
Hopefully the day will come that my comfort level with the open source stuff will allow me to have a ceremonial MS bonfire out back.
(btw, did i mention that office 07 sucks with a ferocity that can't be described without a major profanity-laced rant ? !)
I upgraded to Office 2010 a few months ago, and I cannot believe how poorly it performs. Especially Word and Excel when opening documents, not to mention Outlook. Even worse is the UI change.
But it is what it is.