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There are multiple ways.
First, install a linux-like system (ex. Cygwin). Cygwin is a collection of tools which provide a Linux look and feel environment for Windows. Visit Cygwin, download it, and use Cygwin terminal like you used in TACC's lonestar server. But Cygwin is not a way to run native Linux apps on Windows. Cygwin is a linxLinux-like system is not linux per se. You may need to install additional modules and commands on Cygwin in order to complete certain jobs.
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Ubuntu inside VB and Windows work like two different computers in one physical PC. When you generate beautiful graphs and awesome tables on Ubuntu for your labmeeting on Ubuntu, you can't open it with MS office on Windows. Don't send them to yourself via email. Shared Folders functionality makes multiple OS to share some space in the hard drive. You can run NGS utilities on your Ubuntu and spit out the output into the shared folder. Then, open it with MS office on your Windows. Oh! before you set up Shared Folders, you should install the Guest Additions on your VM. Here is how to install Guest Additions and how to share folders
In summary,
- Install VM on your Windows
- Install Ubuntu on your VM
- Install Guest Additions if the VM is Oracle VB
- Share folders with your Windows