recording newbie

I'm going to start recording music soon, and i don't know where to start.
I have an amd64 laptop and a 15w amp an x-vamp guitar processor, and of course an electric guitar.
I need a microphone i guess, but i don't know what kind of cables to use, where to plug in what and so on. and what other ways are there to record music using a pc? also, do i have to use a mixer? i'm really low on $$$$ at the moment.

I've never used a laptop and I am unfamiliar with it's connections
I have a Marshall amp which has a line out to the back of my PC, I put everything through the Marshall. I'm not sure how much an amp with a line out would be - My Marshall 65 watt was over 400 pounds five years ago, but you might be able to pick something up cheaper second hand.
Digital recording likes low volumes so you could get away with a smaller amp providing it has a line out

The software I use is Cakewalk Guitar Tracks version 2, and it is simplicity to use, it cost about 50 pounds.
To burn on to cd's I use Cakewalk pyro and it was a similar cost.
I' m not sure if a laptop has a Cd writer ?

Guitar Tracks comes with it's own drumloops on the disc.
Feel free to E-mail me

Thanks grambo, i actually found a sound card/USB port or whatever it's called. Anyway, you can plug the mic, guitar,amp,speakers and guitar effect processor into it, it's great and it comes with free recording software, but it's probably some cheap piece of **** software, so i'll try cakewalk or something instead.

btw, it has a cd/dvd writer.

If you are going to use the analogue inputs on your computer it will be helpful to make sure you know the difference between mic and line level signal inputs especially if you are recording relatively clean sounding guitar.

This is because plugging a line level device into a mic level input will overload the input.

For more info check out my tutorial about building your own project studio.

Let's not forget that mic level inputs sound like s*%# for recording guitar.

here it is: http://www.m-audio.com/products/en_us/FastTrackUSB-main.html thanks 4 all your comments ;)