I am assuming you mean either a POSIX shell or a way to SSH into a Linux box.
A POSIX shell is as simple as installing MinGW, which will usually also provide BASH, usually for scripts.
For SSH you can just use PuTTY and connect to your Linux box (Assuming it has an SSH server running.) that way.
Yes, install Windows first, then whichever distribution of Linux you want second.
To install Windows after having Linux already installed on your system, you'll need to follow these general steps: Backup your data: Before proceeding with any major changes, ensure you have a backup of all your important files to prevent data loss. Create a Windows installation media: You'll need a bootable USB drive or DVD containing the Windows installation files. You can create this using the Windows Media Creation Tool on another Windows PC. Access BIOS/UEFI: Restart your computer and access the BIOS or UEFI settings. You usually do this by pressing a specific key (like F2, F12, ESC, or Del) during bootup. Navigate to the boot options and set the USB drive or DVD drive as the primary boot device. Boot from installation media: Insert the Windows installation USB drive or DVD into your computer and restart. Follow the prompts to boot from the installation media. Install Windows: Once the Windows setup loads, follow the on-screen instructions to install Windows. You'll need to choose the installation drive and may need to format it if it's currently formatted with a Linux file system. Complete installation: Proceed with the Windows installation process, including entering your product key when prompted. Install drivers and software: After Windows is installed, install any necessary drivers for your hardware components. You may also want to install essential software applications. Restore data: Once Windows is up and running, you can restore your backed-up data onto your system. Remember, this process may vary slightly depending on your specific hardware configuration and the version of Windows you're installing. Also, ensure you have a valid Windows product key to activate your copy of Windows. If you need to purchase one, consider visiting websites like Softwarekey4u .com, which offer affordable and easy-to-use upgrade keys. Use the provided coupon code "SAVE30GIFT" for a discount.
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.
In a Linux terminal, the command to create a new directory is: mkdir .
Yes.
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.
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.
At a terminal prompt: sudo apt-get install <application-name>