I am trying to get to grips with node.js, this looked like a fun tut http://net.tutsplus.com/tutorials/javascript-ajax/how-to-scrape-web-pages-with-node-js-and-jquery/ but I have only got the native windows version of node.js and I can’t find a way to install any packages.
I have also looked at installing the binaries using chocalatey, but my version of vista doesn’t have access to powershell. However, I do have a machine running windows 7 that I can switch to. If it isn’t possible to install packages on windows version, I will switch to that machine and work through chocalatey.
Assuming you have the node.exe for Windows, npm has experimental support for windows. You can try working through the README.
Otherwise you can manually install packages on Windows. You will need to manually look at the package.json files for dependencies if you are going with option 2.
I have never tried it, but Scott Hanselman also has a post about getting node running on Windows.
Personally I have found its easier to just run a Linux VM since Windows support is kinda spotty right now.