how to use a graphic equalizer?

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I've been trying to tweak the various sliders on my GE but I can't seem to get the effects I'm looking for.

any help?

I'm currently studying an HND in audio production and know my way around a graphic EQ pretty well.
First of all, what sort of effect is it you are trying to achieve? Bear in mind an EQ can only do so much to a given sound - what you may be after might be outwith what an EQ can do, but please do ask - I'll be as much help as I can!

I am terrible at setting the EQ positions, so I only use the presets thats within
windows for my sound card, I am clueless on setting them on a stereo.

Try centering all frequencies and using subtractive, (IE, Cut only) EQ on the frequencies that are annoying, instead of boosting the frequencies that you want to accentuate. Use the output level controls on the EQ to compensate for any loss of volume that you have via using subtractive EQ. --Personally, I hate Graphic EQ, and like Parametric EQ much better.

I'm clueless too, so I use presets - they do me fine

Up is louder, Halfway is normal, Down is quiet.
The ones on the left are for drummy sounds. Like BASS control.
The ones in the middle are for singing sounds. Almost like VOLUME CONTROL
The ones on the right are for squeaky sounds. Like TREBLE control.

That's as simple as I can explain it.
Play with them until you like how it sounds.

It's not really an effect. It's more for making speakers sound right.

But if you push them all down and then push up the second one on the left
it might sound like a telephone. Depends. Mine does that.

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I've heard that setting them to look like a sine wave gives a more harmonious result.

No, whoever told you that was very misinformed. Basically, each control on a graphic EQ alters a certain small band of frequency, and have nothing to do with generating or altering the behaviour of a waveform. Each individual control will affect the harmonics of a sound in some way, as each sound, no matter its pitch or frequency, will have harmonics in other areas of the frequency spectrum. Pulling a slider down will decrease the volume of the sounds in that frequency, but as a result, the harmonics of those sounds will be more pronounced.
For example, if you pull the 200hz slider down on your EQ, you may find that there's one or two sounds that become mostly inaudible, but you'll still hear 'traces' of them - these are your harmonics (which are commonly, at least on melodic instruments, located in frequencies that are multiples of the original frequency - i.e. a sound at 200hz will have harmonics at 400hz and 800hz).