It's really hard to answer all those questions cause it would take hours to type out all the info you're really asking for. Then it'd take you weeks to read it and understand it fully.
About the only thing I can suggest is to try the search feature on the forum first. This question's been asked several times, so I'm sure there's already a ton of info available.
Secondly, if you're a High Bandwidth user, I've got a ton of step by step lessons on multitrack recording and Cubase. It'll take you right through doing the drum tracks to adding the bass, guitar, synth, strings, vocals, harmonies, effects and plug-ins & then mixdown and mastering... with all the neato stuff like MP3's and Pics.
After I'm finished doing this current series of lessons I'm working on, I'll be spending the next few weeks working on a video tutorial covering the subject in a bunch more detail.