diff --git a/.github/workflows/libzedmd.yml b/.github/workflows/libzedmd.yml
index ba41d92..26954dc 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/libzedmd.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/libzedmd.yml
@@ -46,9 +46,9 @@ jobs:
       fail-fast: false
       matrix:
         include:
-          - { os: windows-2025, platform: win, arch: x64, type: Release }
-          - { os: windows-2025, platform: win, arch: x64, type: Debug }
-          - { os: windows-2025, platform: win, arch: x86, type: Release }
+          - { os: windows-2025-vs2026, platform: win, arch: x64, type: Release }
+          - { os: windows-2025-vs2026, platform: win, arch: x64, type: Debug }
+          - { os: windows-2025-vs2026, platform: win, arch: x86, type: Release }
           - { os: windows-2025, platform: win-mingw, arch: x64, type: Release }
           - { os: macos-15, platform: macos, arch: arm64, type: Release }
           - { os: macos-15, platform: macos, arch: x64, type: Release }
@@ -64,7 +64,22 @@ jobs:
       # install dependencies
       #
       - if: (matrix.platform == 'win')
-        uses: microsoft/setup-msbuild@v2
+        uses: microsoft/setup-msbuild@v3
+      - if: (matrix.platform == 'win')
+        run: |
+          if [[ "${{ matrix.arch }}" == "x64" ]]; then
+            /c/msys64/usr/bin/bash.exe -l -c "pacman -S --noconfirm \
+              make diffutils autoconf automake libtool \
+              mingw-w64-ucrt-x86_64-gcc \
+              mingw-w64-ucrt-x86_64-libwinpthread \
+              mingw-w64-ucrt-x86_64-cmake"
+          else
+            /c/msys64/usr/bin/bash.exe -l -c "pacman -S --noconfirm \
+              make diffutils autoconf automake libtool \
+              mingw-w64-i686-gcc \
+              mingw-w64-i686-libwinpthread \
+              mingw-w64-i686-cmake"
+          fi
       - if: (matrix.platform == 'win-mingw')
         run: |
           /c/msys64/usr/bin/bash.exe -l -c "pacman -S --noconfirm \
@@ -87,13 +102,13 @@ jobs:
           ./platforms/${{ matrix.platform }}/${{ matrix.arch }}/external.sh
           if [[ "${{ matrix.arch }}" == "x64" ]]; then
             cmake \
-              -G "Visual Studio 17 2022" \
+              -G "Visual Studio 18 2026" \
               -DPLATFORM=${{ matrix.platform }} \
               -DARCH=${{ matrix.arch }} \
               -B build
           else
             cmake \
-              -G "Visual Studio 17 2022" \
+              -G "Visual Studio 18 2026" \
               -A Win32 \
               -DPLATFORM=${{ matrix.platform }} \
               -DARCH=${{ matrix.arch }} \
diff --git a/CMakeLists.txt b/CMakeLists.txt
index b7becf7..c33a202 100644
--- a/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -339,18 +339,24 @@ if(POST_BUILD_COPY_EXT_LIBS AND (PLATFORM STREQUAL "win" OR PLATFORM STREQUAL "w
             COMMAND "${CMAKE_COMMAND}" -E copy "${CMAKE_SOURCE_DIR}/third-party/build-libs/${PLATFORM}/${ARCH}/cargs64.lib" "${CMAKE_BINARY_DIR}"
             COMMAND "${CMAKE_COMMAND}" -E copy "${CMAKE_SOURCE_DIR}/third-party/runtime-libs/${PLATFORM}/${ARCH}/cargs64.dll" "${CMAKE_BINARY_DIR}"
             COMMAND "${CMAKE_COMMAND}" -E copy "${CMAKE_SOURCE_DIR}/third-party/build-libs/${PLATFORM}/${ARCH}/libserialport64.lib" "${CMAKE_BINARY_DIR}"
-            COMMAND "${CMAKE_COMMAND}" -E copy "${CMAKE_SOURCE_DIR}/third-party/runtime-libs/${PLATFORM}/${ARCH}/libserialport64.dll" "${CMAKE_BINARY_DIR}"
+            COMMAND "${CMAKE_COMMAND}" -E copy "${CMAKE_SOURCE_DIR}/third-party/runtime-libs/${PLATFORM}/${ARCH}/libserialport64-0.dll" "${CMAKE_BINARY_DIR}"
             COMMAND "${CMAKE_COMMAND}" -E copy "${CMAKE_SOURCE_DIR}/third-party/build-libs/${PLATFORM}/${ARCH}/sockpp64.lib" "${CMAKE_BINARY_DIR}"
             COMMAND "${CMAKE_COMMAND}" -E copy "${CMAKE_SOURCE_DIR}/third-party/runtime-libs/${PLATFORM}/${ARCH}/sockpp64.dll" "${CMAKE_BINARY_DIR}"
+            COMMAND "${CMAKE_COMMAND}" -E copy "${CMAKE_SOURCE_DIR}/third-party/runtime-libs/${PLATFORM}/${ARCH}/libgcc_s_seh-1.dll" "${CMAKE_BINARY_DIR}"
+            COMMAND "${CMAKE_COMMAND}" -E copy "${CMAKE_SOURCE_DIR}/third-party/runtime-libs/${PLATFORM}/${ARCH}/libstdc++-6.dll" "${CMAKE_BINARY_DIR}"
+            COMMAND "${CMAKE_COMMAND}" -E copy "${CMAKE_SOURCE_DIR}/third-party/runtime-libs/${PLATFORM}/${ARCH}/libwinpthread-1.dll" "${CMAKE_BINARY_DIR}"
          )
       else()
          add_custom_command(TARGET copy_ext_libs POST_BUILD
             COMMAND "${CMAKE_COMMAND}" -E copy "${CMAKE_SOURCE_DIR}/third-party/build-libs/${PLATFORM}/${ARCH}/cargs.lib" "${CMAKE_BINARY_DIR}"
             COMMAND "${CMAKE_COMMAND}" -E copy "${CMAKE_SOURCE_DIR}/third-party/runtime-libs/${PLATFORM}/${ARCH}/cargs.dll" "${CMAKE_BINARY_DIR}"
             COMMAND "${CMAKE_COMMAND}" -E copy "${CMAKE_SOURCE_DIR}/third-party/build-libs/${PLATFORM}/${ARCH}/libserialport.lib" "${CMAKE_BINARY_DIR}"
-            COMMAND "${CMAKE_COMMAND}" -E copy "${CMAKE_SOURCE_DIR}/third-party/runtime-libs/${PLATFORM}/${ARCH}/libserialport.dll" "${CMAKE_BINARY_DIR}"
+            COMMAND "${CMAKE_COMMAND}" -E copy "${CMAKE_SOURCE_DIR}/third-party/runtime-libs/${PLATFORM}/${ARCH}/libserialport-0.dll" "${CMAKE_BINARY_DIR}"
             COMMAND "${CMAKE_COMMAND}" -E copy "${CMAKE_SOURCE_DIR}/third-party/build-libs/${PLATFORM}/${ARCH}/sockpp.lib" "${CMAKE_BINARY_DIR}"
             COMMAND "${CMAKE_COMMAND}" -E copy "${CMAKE_SOURCE_DIR}/third-party/runtime-libs/${PLATFORM}/${ARCH}/sockpp.dll" "${CMAKE_BINARY_DIR}"
+            COMMAND "${CMAKE_COMMAND}" -E copy "${CMAKE_SOURCE_DIR}/third-party/runtime-libs/${PLATFORM}/${ARCH}/libgcc_s_dw2-1.dll" "${CMAKE_BINARY_DIR}"
+            COMMAND "${CMAKE_COMMAND}" -E copy "${CMAKE_SOURCE_DIR}/third-party/runtime-libs/${PLATFORM}/${ARCH}/libstdc++-6.dll" "${CMAKE_BINARY_DIR}"
+            COMMAND "${CMAKE_COMMAND}" -E copy "${CMAKE_SOURCE_DIR}/third-party/runtime-libs/${PLATFORM}/${ARCH}/libwinpthread-1.dll" "${CMAKE_BINARY_DIR}"
          )
       endif()
    elseif(PLATFORM STREQUAL "win-mingw")
diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 36a6d8f..254cc48 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -7,19 +7,35 @@ https://ppuc.github.io/libzedmd/docs/html/class_ze_d_m_d.html
 
 ## Compiling
 
-#### Windows x64 (MSVC)
+#### Windows (x64)
+
+Requires MSYS2 for building external dependencies:
+
+```shell
+pacman -S --noconfirm make diffutils \
+  mingw-w64-ucrt-x86_64-gcc mingw-w64-ucrt-x86_64-libwinpthread \
+  mingw-w64-ucrt-x86_64-cmake
+```
 
 ```shell
 platforms/win/x64/external.sh
-cmake -G "Visual Studio 17 2022" -DPLATFORM=win -DARCH=x64 -B build
+cmake -G "Visual Studio 18 2026" -DPLATFORM=win -DARCH=x64 -B build
 cmake --build build --config Release
 ```
 
-#### Windows x86 (MSVC)
+#### Windows (x86)
+
+Requires MSYS2 for building external dependencies:
+
+```shell
+pacman -S --noconfirm make diffutils \
+  mingw-w64-i686-gcc mingw-w64-i686-libwinpthread \
+  mingw-w64-i686-cmake
+```
 
 ```shell
 platforms/win/x86/external.sh
-cmake -G "Visual Studio 17 2022" -A Win32 -DPLATFORM=win -DARCH=x86 -B build
+cmake -G "Visual Studio 18 2026" -A Win32 -DPLATFORM=win -DARCH=x86 -B build
 cmake --build build --config Release
 ```
 
diff --git a/platforms/win/x64/external.sh b/platforms/win/x64/external.sh
index df5643f..93f27f6 100755
--- a/platforms/win/x64/external.sh
+++ b/platforms/win/x64/external.sh
@@ -2,6 +2,13 @@
 
 set -e
 
+if [ -z "${MSYS2_PATH}" ]; then
+   MSYS2_PATH="/c/msys64"
+fi
+
+echo "MSYS2_PATH: ${MSYS2_PATH}"
+echo ""
+
 source ./platforms/config.sh
 
 echo "Building libraries..."
@@ -25,7 +32,7 @@ mv cargs-${CARGS_SHA} cargs
 cd cargs
 sed -i.bak 's/set_target_properties(cargs PROPERTIES DEFINE_SYMBOL CAG_EXPORTS)/set_target_properties(cargs PROPERTIES DEFINE_SYMBOL CAG_EXPORTS)\nset_target_properties(cargs PROPERTIES OUTPUT_NAME cargs64)/' CMakeLists.txt
 cmake \
-   -G "Visual Studio 17 2022" \
+   -G "Visual Studio 18 2026" \
    -DBUILD_SHARED_LIBS=ON \
    -B build
 cmake --build build --config ${BUILD_TYPE}
@@ -43,13 +50,16 @@ tar xzf libserialport-${LIBSERIALPORT_SHA}.tar.gz
 mv libserialport-${LIBSERIALPORT_SHA} libserialport
 cd libserialport
 cp libserialport.h ../../third-party/include
-msbuild.exe libserialport.sln \
-   -p:PlatformToolset=v143 \
-   -p:TargetName=libserialport64 \
-   -p:Platform=x64 \
-   -p:Configuration=Release
-cp x64/Release/libserialport64.lib ../../third-party/build-libs/win/x64
-cp x64/Release/libserialport64.dll ../../third-party/runtime-libs/win/x64
+sed -i.bak 's/libserialport\.la/libserialport64.la/g; s/libserialport_la/libserialport64_la/g' Makefile.am
+CURRENT_DIR="$(pwd)"
+MSYSTEM=UCRT64 "${MSYS2_PATH}/usr/bin/bash.exe" -l -c "
+   cd \"${CURRENT_DIR}\" &&
+   ./autogen.sh &&
+   ./configure &&
+   make -j\$(nproc)
+"
+cp .libs/libserialport64.dll.a ../../third-party/build-libs/win/x64/libserialport64.lib
+cp .libs/libserialport64-0.dll ../../third-party/runtime-libs/win/x64/
 cd ..
 
 #
@@ -73,10 +83,20 @@ mv sockpp-${SOCKPP_SHA} sockpp
 cd sockpp
 sed -i.bak 's/set(SOCKPP_SHARED_LIBRARY sockpp)/set(SOCKPP_SHARED_LIBRARY sockpp64)/' CMakeLists.txt
 cmake \
-   -G "Visual Studio 17 2022" \
+   -G "Visual Studio 18 2026" \
    -B build
 cmake --build build --config ${BUILD_TYPE}
 cp -r include/sockpp ../../third-party/include/
 cp build/${BUILD_TYPE}/sockpp64.lib ../../third-party/build-libs/win/x64/
 cp build/${BUILD_TYPE}/sockpp64.dll ../../third-party/runtime-libs/win/x64/
 cd ..
+
+#
+# copy UCRT64 runtime DLLs (needed by MinGW-built DLLs)
+#
+
+UCRT64_BIN="${MSYS2_PATH}/ucrt64/bin"
+
+cp "${UCRT64_BIN}/libgcc_s_seh-1.dll" ../third-party/runtime-libs/win/x64/
+cp "${UCRT64_BIN}/libstdc++-6.dll" ../third-party/runtime-libs/win/x64/
+cp "${UCRT64_BIN}/libwinpthread-1.dll" ../third-party/runtime-libs/win/x64/
diff --git a/platforms/win/x86/external.sh b/platforms/win/x86/external.sh
index b916df3..d82f7b4 100755
--- a/platforms/win/x86/external.sh
+++ b/platforms/win/x86/external.sh
@@ -2,6 +2,13 @@
 
 set -e
 
+if [ -z "${MSYS2_PATH}" ]; then
+   MSYS2_PATH="/c/msys64"
+fi
+
+echo "MSYS2_PATH: ${MSYS2_PATH}"
+echo ""
+
 source ./platforms/config.sh
 
 echo "Building libraries..."
@@ -24,7 +31,7 @@ tar xzf cargs-${CARGS_SHA}.tar.gz
 mv cargs-${CARGS_SHA} cargs
 cd cargs
 cmake \
-   -G "Visual Studio 17 2022" \
+   -G "Visual Studio 18 2026" \
    -DBUILD_SHARED_LIBS=ON \
    -A Win32 \
    -B build
@@ -43,12 +50,15 @@ tar xzf libserialport-${LIBSERIALPORT_SHA}.tar.gz
 mv libserialport-${LIBSERIALPORT_SHA} libserialport
 cd libserialport
 cp libserialport.h ../../third-party/include
-msbuild.exe libserialport.sln \
-   -p:Platform=x86 \
-   -p:PlatformToolset=v143 \
-   -p:Configuration=Release
-cp Release/libserialport.lib ../../third-party/build-libs/win/x86
-cp Release/libserialport.dll ../../third-party/runtime-libs/win/x86
+CURRENT_DIR="$(pwd)"
+MSYSTEM=MINGW32 "${MSYS2_PATH}/usr/bin/bash.exe" -l -c "
+   cd \"${CURRENT_DIR}\" &&
+   ./autogen.sh &&
+   ./configure &&
+   make -j\$(nproc)
+"
+cp .libs/libserialport.dll.a ../../third-party/build-libs/win/x86/libserialport.lib
+cp .libs/libserialport-0.dll ../../third-party/runtime-libs/win/x86/
 cd ..
 
 #
@@ -71,7 +81,7 @@ tar xzf sockpp-${SOCKPP_SHA}.tar.gz
 mv sockpp-${SOCKPP_SHA} sockpp
 cd sockpp
 cmake \
-   -G "Visual Studio 17 2022" \
+   -G "Visual Studio 18 2026" \
    -A Win32 \
    -B build
 cmake --build build --config ${BUILD_TYPE}
@@ -79,3 +89,13 @@ cp -r include/sockpp ../../third-party/include/
 cp build/${BUILD_TYPE}/sockpp.lib ../../third-party/build-libs/win/x86/
 cp build/${BUILD_TYPE}/sockpp.dll ../../third-party/runtime-libs/win/x86/
 cd ..
+
+#
+# copy MINGW32 runtime DLLs (needed by MinGW-built DLLs)
+#
+
+MINGW32_BIN="${MSYS2_PATH}/mingw32/bin"
+
+cp "${MINGW32_BIN}/libgcc_s_dw2-1.dll" ../third-party/runtime-libs/win/x86/
+cp "${MINGW32_BIN}/libstdc++-6.dll" ../third-party/runtime-libs/win/x86/
+cp "${MINGW32_BIN}/libwinpthread-1.dll" ../third-party/runtime-libs/win/x86/