If you install Oracle 11g XE with windows firewall active APEX is dead
My first installation of Oracle 11g XE were done with windows firewall active.
Database configuration were finished in a bad state because post installation scripts did not run because 1521 port was locked.
You got that "Get Started" link did not run ok and browser got an error page.
Allways install Oracle Database with windows firewall not active.
In documentation, installation, you can read...
2.1.2 Windows Firewall Configuration
If you plan to install Oracle Database XE onto a computer running Windows Firewall, which was first introduced in Windows XP Service Pack 2 and Windows Server 2003 Service Pack 1, and then connect to it from another computer, check that the firewall has not been configured to block communication from the following incoming ports. These ports are the default ports that Oracle Database XE users.
1521: Oracle Database Listener
2030: Oracle Services for Microsoft Transaction Server
8080: Oracle HTTP Transaction Server
but that apply to connect from another computer to your installation, not the installation process.
I think that documentation must contain "disable windows firewall before you try to install".