Microphone static

You should be able to pick up a copy of Cool Edit Pro off a P2P downloader (I think it became Adobe Audition but dont get that one), thats pretty decent for home recordings very very easy to understand. I'm a sound engineer and pretty much started on Cool Edit and Goldwave.
But just in case it could the program you're currently using. It could be automatically setting your input volume up WAAAAYYY too much for the mic to handle on a normal 3.5mm port. Try lowering that down and boosting the volume of the recorded track and see if you get the static.

1) do you use on board sound card ? Because if so you should consider buying an add on card because most on board are low quality

2) Check you sound setting: if recording is on max: you could get statics from it. Also if you have a fan in you computer that humming loud, you could get problems from that too.

3)Are you on windows 7 ? might have problems with sound drive. Check to see if you can update the driver

good luck