You can run a command line firewall and use another computer to connect to it to configure it using a GUI web interface. Sort of like the way a home router operates. A good example is software from Astro http://www.astaro.com/firewall_network_security/security_facts they have alot of different software product ranging from application filtering to packet inspection, virus and spyware protection.
If you were to run Linux on such a low end machine or a bootable CD that requires a great deal of RAM it wouldn't be feasible. So look for a command line firewall.
hey thanks for all of your ideas. i think this will be my first case mod project, aswell as a firewall/router for all of my computers. if you have any other ideas, toss em up, because i will have more computers like this comming my way.
thanks
-joe
i was thinking of turning it into a server, a firewall box, or a media thing... like i said, i dont know what to do with it. so what would you do with it? (besides throw it away or donate it lol)