diff --git a/.gitlab-ci.yml b/.gitlab-ci.yml
index 565feff14..1898c6c3c 100644
--- a/.gitlab-ci.yml
+++ b/.gitlab-ci.yml
@@ -51,8 +51,8 @@ Windows:
   tags:
     - win10
     - msvc2017
-  except:
-    - branches # because our CI VMs are not public, MRs can't use them and timeout
+#  except:
+#    - branches # because our CI VMs are not public, MRs can't use them and timeout
   stage: build
   allow_failure: true
   script:
diff --git a/CI/before_script.msvc.sh b/CI/before_script.msvc.sh
index 3f6c4d307..be2a58aa6 100644
--- a/CI/before_script.msvc.sh
+++ b/CI/before_script.msvc.sh
@@ -412,11 +412,13 @@ fi
 	if [ -z $APPVEYOR ]; then
 		cd $DEPS_INSTALL
 
+		BOOST_SDK="$(real_pwd)/Boost"
+
 		# Boost's installer is still based on ms-dos API that doesn't support larger than 260 char path names
 		# We work around this by installing to root of the current working drive and then move it to our deps
-        
-		BOOST_SDK="$(real_pwd)/Boost"
-		CWD_DRIVE_ROOT="$(powershell -command '(get-location).Drive.Root')"  # get the current working drive's root
+		# get the current working drive's root, we'll install to that temporarily
+		CWD_DRIVE_ROOT=$(echo "$(powershell -command '(get-location).Drive.Root')" | sed "s,\\\\,/,g" | sed "s,\(.\):,/\\1,") 
+		
 
 		if [ -d Boost ] && grep "BOOST_VERSION 106700" Boost/boost/version.hpp > /dev/null; then
 			printf "Exists. "