diff --git a/setup/installer/windows/freeze.py b/setup/installer/windows/freeze.py
index 8dff5bd167..ce07205e09 100644
--- a/setup/installer/windows/freeze.py
+++ b/setup/installer/windows/freeze.py
@@ -277,8 +277,10 @@ class Win32Freeze(Command, WixMixIn):
                 if not ok: continue
                 dest = self.dll_dir
                 shutil.copy2(f, dest)
-        for x in ('zlib1.dll', 'libxml2.dll'):
-            shutil.copy2(self.j(bindir, x+'.manifest'), self.dll_dir)
+        for x in ('zlib1.dll', 'libxml2.dll', 'libxslt.dll', 'libexslt.dll'):
+            msrc = self.j(bindir, x+'.manifest')
+            if os.path.exists(msrc):
+                shutil.copy2(msrc, self.dll_dir)
 
         # Copy ImageMagick
         for pat in ('*.dll', '*.xml'):
diff --git a/setup/installer/windows/notes.rst b/setup/installer/windows/notes.rst
index d38f5b8c36..9d0a283e9e 100644
--- a/setup/installer/windows/notes.rst
+++ b/setup/installer/windows/notes.rst
@@ -4,9 +4,10 @@ Notes on setting up the windows development environment
 Overview
 ----------
 
-calibre and all its dependencies are compiled using Visual Studio 2008 express
-edition (free from MS). All the following instructions must be run in a visual
-studio command prompt unless otherwise noted.
+calibre and all its dependencies are compiled using Visual Studio 2008. All the
+following instructions must be run in a visual studio command prompt (the
+various commands use unix notation, so if you want to use them directly, you
+have to setup cygwin).
 
 calibre contains build script to automate the building of the calibre
 installer. These scripts make certain assumptions about where dependencies are
@@ -38,10 +39,19 @@ out. Just use the Professional Edition.
 Cygwin
 ------------
 
-This is needed for automation of the build process, you dont need it otherwise.
+This is needed for automation of the build process, and the ease of use of the
+unix shell (bash).
 
 Install, vim, rsync, openssh, unzip, wget, make at a minimum.
 
+After installing python run::
+    python setup/vcvars.py && echo 'source ~/.vcvars' >> ~/.bash_profile
+
+To allow you to use the visual studio tools in the cygwin shell.
+
+The following is only needed for automation (setting up ssh access to the
+windows machine).
+
 In order to build debug builds (.pdb files and sign files), you have to be able
 to login as the normal user account with ssh. To do this, follow these steps:
 
@@ -80,11 +90,6 @@ to login as the normal user account with ssh. To do this, follow these steps:
 
 Pass port 22 through Windows firewall. Create ~/.ssh/authorized_keys
 
-After installing python run::
-    python setup/vcvars.py && echo 'source ~/.vcvars' >> ~/.bash_profile
-
-To allow you to use the visual studio tools in the cygwin ssh shell.
-
 Basic dependencies
 --------------------
 
@@ -342,15 +347,52 @@ Run::
     cp expat.dll ~/sw/bin/ && cp expat.lib ~/sw/lib/
     cp ../lib/expat.h ../lib/expat_external.h ~/sw/include
 
+libiconv
+----------
+
+Run::
+    mkdir vs2008 && cd vs2008
+
+Then follow these instructions:
+http://www.codeproject.com/Articles/302012/How-to-Build-libiconv-with-Microsoft-Visual-Studio
+
+Change the type to Release and config to x64 or Win32 and Build solution and
+then::
+    cp "`find . -name *.dll`" ~/sw/bin/
+    cp "`find . -name *.dll.manifest`" ~/sw/bin/
+    cp "`find . -name *.lib`" ~/sw/lib/iconv.lib
+    cp "`find . -name iconv.h`" ~/sw/include/
+
+Information for using a static version of libiconv is at the link above.
+
 libxml2
 -------------
 
-cd win32
-cscript configure.js include=C:\cygwin\home\kovid\sw\include lib=C:\cygwin\home\sw\lib prefix=C:\cygwin\home\kovid\sw zlib=yes iconv=no
-nmake /f Makefile.msvc
-nmake /f Makefile.msvc install
-mv lib/libxml2.dll bin/
-cp ./build/libxml2-2.7.5/win32/bin.msvc/*.manifest bin/
+Get it from: ftp://xmlsoft.org/libxml2/
+
+Run::
+    cd win32
+    cscript.exe configure.js include=C:/cygwin/home/kovid/sw/include lib=C:/cygwin/home/kovid/sw/lib prefix=C:/cygwin/home/kovid/sw zlib=yes iconv=yes
+    nmake /f Makefile.msvc
+    mkdir -p ~/sw/include/libxml2/libxml
+    cp include/libxml/*.h ~/sw/include/libxml2/libxml/
+    find .  -name '*.dll' -o -name '*.dll.manifest' -exec cp "{}" ~/sw/bin/ \;
+    find .  -name libxml2.lib -exec cp "{}" ~/sw/lib/ \;
+
+libxslt
+---------
+
+Get it from: ftp://xmlsoft.org/libxml2/
+
+Run::
+    cd win32
+    cscript.exe configure.js include=C:/cygwin/home/kovid/sw/include include=C:/cygwin/home/kovid/sw/include/libxml2 lib=C:/cygwin/home/kovid/sw/lib prefix=C:/cygwin/home/kovid/sw zlib=yes iconv=yes
+    nmake /f Makefile.msvc
+    mkdir -p ~/sw/include/libxslt ~/sw/include/libexslt
+    cp libxslt/*.h ~/sw/include/libxslt/
+    cp libexslt/*.h ~/sw/include/libexslt/
+    find .  -name '*.dll' -o -name '*.dll.manifest' -exec cp "{}" ~/sw/bin/ \;
+    find .  -name lib*xslt.lib -exec cp "{}" ~/sw/lib/ \;
 
 lxml
 ------