Can't Save in Windows

I downloaded the "Latest stable version", version 0.46 for Windows. I read the FAQ, where it says that Inkscape is ready for regular users to use and, "You can start using Inkscape alongside your other tools now!"

However, I can't get Inkscape to work in full-screen mode. Pointing at any of the icons on the menu bar brings up a little tag with a description. Trouble is, when I move the mouse away the tag stays in place and the only way I have found to get rid of it is to change down from full-screen and then back up again.

Scrolling in full-screen produces image drag where the same line is reproduced hundreds of times, or if I have the grid selected I get the gridlines about 1mm apart. Patience in waiting for the programme to catch up is not rewarded and again the only way to restore a usable screen image is by changing down from full-screen mode and back up again.

In short, doing anything at all, no matter how basic, in full-screen mode causes the programme to lag a long way behind the user and forget how to refresh the screen.

I can use the programme in reduced window mode, but then I can't see the scroll bar at the bottom of the screen so navigating around my drawing is difficult. If I push the top of the window right up to the extreme edge of my screen I can just about see a shadow of the top of the scroll bar, but I can't click on it or drag it.

I cannot save a document. At all. I read the README file that came with the installation but that talks about installing "dependencies" (whatever they are) and about installing Cygwin, which might be appropriate for developers but should not be required for folks who just want to draw stuff. The README file doesn't tell you how to save stuff. I searched the wiki, where after searching for "Save" I found a page on debugging for Windows which talked about installing yet another programme, Eclipse. Is it really necessary to install Eclipse and/or Cygwin before I can save anything?

When I click <File>, <Save As> a window appears, which is clearly the save mask, but it is so far up the screen and so far over to the left that I can neither navigate to a folder nor move the window. I can just about see the box where I enter my new filename, but doing that and clicking <Save> results in, absolutely nothing happening at all. The <Save> button depresses, but the document does not get saved. Clicking the <Cancel> button brings up a nag window reminding me that exiting without saving risks losing my data, which is not helpful in this context.

I have installed the whole thing twice, from different locations, with the same result both times.

Is this a bug or am I doing something wrong?

I'm running Windows XP Home Edition on a Novatech 2.00 GHz machine with an AMD Sempron processor and 512 MB RAM, if that helps.