The easiest way is to get a little adaptor so your normal guitar cable fits into your mic socket, you don't need to use any effects, but you'll have to play with your amp a little n use sound recorder which is a standard thing on all Windows. It's in:

Start
Programs
Accesories
Entertainment

It has a little speaker icon.

Or alternatively you can download Goldwave, I did n used it quite a bit. I found it very easy to use. But I had to wipe my hard drive n lost all my music files (not because of GW). So to all you computer recorders BACK UP YOUR RECORDED MUSIC!!!
I would get used to the simple set up before adding any kind of pedal. And if you manage to get a program like Goldwave you can add effects on there (although there not as good). But for a novice using the programs effects is a good start, plus you don't have wires all over the place.