Yes, install Windows first, then whichever distribution of Linux you want second.
If you would like to install it ON TOP of Windows: Install a virtual machine program (ex. Virtualbox, VMware) Install Linux inside of virtual machine Install it along side (or overwrite) Windows: Reboot computer with Linux install CD/DVD in the disk drive and follow the instructions.
Yes Ubuntu-linux offers the "install along side windows" option.
Yes.
Yes, it's called dual-boot. Be sure to have Windows installed first so your Linux installer might be able to pick it up and put it in the bootloader, not to mention to keep GRUB from getting overwritten by a monopolistic bootloader by Windows.
Yes. All you have to do is give Linux its own partition.
Linux is not an operating system by itself. Just like you cannot install Windows you have to install Windows XP or Windows Vista. You can use the website in related links to find a list of active Linux Distributions. If I could recommend one I would recommend Linux Mint because it is easy to use.
A quick and relatively easy method of getting Ubuntu Linux - if you already have a Windows system and you want to run Ubuntu Linux on it - is to download Ubuntu and install it by using the Wubi (the Windows-based Ubuntu Installer) from this Ubuntu web site: http://wubi-installer.org You can use the Wubi (Windows-based Ubuntu Installer) to download and install Ubuntu Linux in Windows and this is very similar to installing any software program in Windows. One of the great benefits of using the "Wubi Installer" is that you can also uninstall Ubuntu Linux from Windows if you need to (in the same way as you uninstall any Windows program). When you use the "Wubi Installer", you DON'T have to do the following steps (that you would "typically" need to do) to install the Desktop version of Ubuntu Linux on an existing Windows system: download a Linux ISO file burn the Linux ISO file to a Linux CD set up your computer to boot from CD boot with the Linux CD to run Linux "Live" and get to the GNOME desktop double-click on the "Install" icon to start the installation routine run the Ubuntu Linux installation routine Ubuntu Linux Training Tips: The Wubi Installer is only used to install the Desktop (not Server) Edition of Ubuntu Linux on an existing Windows system - and not on a new or used computer system that doesn't have Windows already installed on it. All of the "download, burn, setup, and so on" steps listed above will be described shortly in upcoming sections. The Ubuntu Linux installation steps described above are required to install the Desktop and Server Editions (versions) of Ubuntu Linux - either on a computer system that has Windows (to create a Dual-Boot Windows / Linux system) or one that doesn't have Windows Ubuntu Linux Training Tips: Keep in mind that prior to installing Ubuntu Linux (or any Linux distro) on an existing Windows system, you need to do a complete backup of your Windows system - twice! Also make sure that you can use the backups that you have created to restore your Windows system from backup. (copied from "http://www.ubuntulinuxbookblog.com/wubi-installer-windows-based-ubuntu-installer-training-download-install-ubuntu-linux-in-windows.html" ) A quick and relatively easy method of getting Ubuntu Linux - if you already have a Windows system and you want to run Ubuntu Linux on it - is to download Ubuntu and install it by using the Wubi (the Windows-based Ubuntu Installer) from this Ubuntu web site: http://wubi-installer.org You can use the Wubi (Windows-based Ubuntu Installer) to download and install Ubuntu Linux in Windows and this is very similar to installing any software program in Windows. One of the great benefits of using the "Wubi Installer" is that you can also uninstall Ubuntu Linux from Windows if you need to (in the same way as you uninstall any Windows program). When you use the "Wubi Installer", you DON'T have to do the following steps (that you would "typically" need to do) to install the Desktop version of Ubuntu Linux on an existing Windows system: download a Linux ISO file burn the Linux ISO file to a Linux CD set up your computer to boot from CD boot with the Linux CD to run Linux "Live" and get to the GNOME desktop double-click on the "Install" icon to start the installation routine run the Ubuntu Linux installation routine Ubuntu Linux Training Tips: The Wubi Installer is only used to install the Desktop (not Server) Edition of Ubuntu Linux on an existing Windows system - and not on a new or used computer system that doesn't have Windows already installed on it. All of the "download, burn, setup, and so on" steps listed above will be described shortly in upcoming sections. The Ubuntu Linux installation steps described above are required to install the Desktop and Server Editions (versions) of Ubuntu Linux - either on a computer system that has Windows (to create a Dual-Boot Windows / Linux system) or one that doesn't have Windows Ubuntu Linux Training Tips: Keep in mind that prior to installing Ubuntu Linux (or any Linux distro) on an existing Windows system, you need to do a complete backup of your Windows system - twice! Also make sure that you can use the backups that you have created to restore your Windows system from backup. (copied from "http://www.ubuntulinuxbookblog.com/wubi-installer-windows-based-ubuntu-installer-training-download-install-ubuntu-linux-in-windows.html" )
Re-install the operating system or install Linux.
Have a look at WUBI (search Google) to install Ubuntu as a file, without making any changes to your Windows 8 hard-drive. To remove WUBI, simply use Windows utility to uninstall programs. Or, create a separate partition on the Windows hard-drive and install Linux (or which ever distro you wish to use) on to the new partition. Remember to first backup important files onto an external storage device. Or, download and burn a Linux distribution with an ISO extension onto a CD and use as a Live Disk. If you then intend to install Linux, you will be given the choice to either install as a dual-boot with Windows by installing Linux alongside Windows, or wiping Windows and letting Linux use all the hard-drive.
No.
Yes, you can. It's called dualbooting. I guess with Linux you mean a Linux Distribution like Ubuntu? Check the related link if you want to know how.
Yes. There is a Linux port of Virtualbox and it runs Windows as well as any version of VB.