New member needs calibration help

[504lazet]

I’m new here but what a great forum!
Several years ago MS introduced color management to XP via Microsoft Color Control Panel Applet . Since I am only using a single monitor is this worth downloading and messing with?
I have a new monitor coming- an HP LP2475w. I’m not sure but I think I’ve read that I can store up to four profiles with this monitor. Presumably I can then switch on the fly. I further assume this is done via the software that comes with either the monitor or possible that comes with the calibration software. A friend has a new copy of the Spyder3 Elite that he is going to let me use for calibration.
So…. my questions are:
1) Do I need the MS?
2) Do the multi profiles come from the included HP software or from the Spyder3 Elite software?
3) Do I even need multi profiles? (I was going to set two profiles for different lighting conditions i.e. daytime with sunlight and night time with standard room lights.)

Background- I’m a newbie but I thought I’d start out doing things right (for my budget). The software I’ve have and plan to use is PS Elements 7 and Lightroom 2.2. Camera is a Nikon D70s. Computer is a Dell 530 w/Core2 Quad, 4GB ram and video card- ATI Radeon HD 3450 256MB. I’m using XP Pro w/s.p.2. I also have a Wacom Bamboo. I’ve not hooked up or installed any of this yet but I thought everything should start with monitor calibration. I plan to install the Adobe apps and remove Adobe Gamma before I do my Spyder calibration. I should add; I do not plan on calibrating a printer. My plan is to simply get my photos the way I’d like and then take them to my local (and very close) Sam’s Club for printing.
Any help to above questions would be appreciated.