| What you should do | Why | |--------------------|-----| | for any installer. | AV might still miss new malware, but disabling it guarantees infection. | | Check file size before running – if < 500 MB, it’s fake. | Genuine Windows installers are > 4 GB even after compression. | | Scan any suspicious file on VirusTotal before opening. | Upload the file (not password-protected) – if >10 engines flag it, delete it. | | Only download Windows from Microsoft or official media creation tool. | Even “trusted” torrents of Windows often contain added malware. | | If you need a lightweight Windows – try Windows PE, or use Linux (e.g., Lubuntu, Puppy Linux). | Legal, safe, and actually fits on small storage. |