New GRADS user with ECMWF ERA40 data. Help!!!!

[Jason Patla]

Hi Grads Users,
I am VERY new to programming, data manipulation and generally just
starting my research.  I currently only have access to a somewhat high-end
laptop PC and hoped to use ECMWF (ERA40) data (grib format files at nearly
1.5GB for a months data) on GRADS.
These may be dangerous questions to ask (already tried searching archive)
and I apologize in advance if I've just dumbed-down this forum,  but here
goes:

1. Is there a simple, straight-forward way to display this data on GRADS
(like NCEP's .NC data on GRADSNC)?

2. Can handling the data be accomplished on a laptop (Windows Pro) alone
or is it easier to just "acquire" a workstation and learn the UNIX
environment to press ahead?

3. Are there any other suggestions considering my circumstances?  This may
include "don't use grib format, go to NCEP's .NC format" or something
along those lines.  (ha!)

Again, please excuse my entry level questions, but we've all got to start
somewhere.  Thanks in advance for any help you can provide.  :)
Sincerely,
Jay