: To save space and CPU cycles, the build excludes Windows Defender , Windows Update, Windows Backup, the Windows Firewall (GUI), Microsoft Telemetry, and Cortana.

on their aging laptop, a machine that had seen better days but still had a spark of life left in its circuits. The Preparation

Standard Windows tools often fail with heavily modded ISOs due to missing boot files. Use Rufus:

Follow the on-screen prompts. When asked "Which type of installation do you want?", always choose Custom: Install Windows only (advanced) . Select your drive and click "Next". Important Considerations