Support for Windows 8.1 officially ended on January 10, 2023. Using it today, even an official version, carries security risks as Microsoft no longer provides security patches. Microsoft Learn Windows 8.1 - Microsoft Lifecycle
For enthusiasts, this wasn't just about saving space; it was an act of digital preservation. By reducing the install size from several gigabytes to as little as 600MB or 700MB, developers allowed Windows 8 to run on legacy machines that the official Microsoft requirements would have deemed "obsolete." The Technical Magic Behind the Shrink windows 8 highly compressed