diff --git a/.github/workflows/ci.yml b/.github/workflows/ci.yml
index 5f2649cca5..148757435e 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/ci.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/ci.yml
@@ -66,21 +66,6 @@ jobs:
       fail-fast: true
       matrix:
         include:
-            - os: ubuntu-22.04
-              python-version: '3.10'
-              toxenv: mypy
-            - os: ubuntu-22.04
-              python-version: '3.11'
-              toxenv: docs
-            - os: ubuntu-22.04
-              python-version: '3.10'
-              toxenv: py310-fuse2
-            - os: ubuntu-22.04
-              python-version: '3.11'
-              toxenv: py311-fuse3
-            - os: ubuntu-24.04
-              python-version: '3.12'
-              toxenv: py312-fuse3
             - os: ubuntu-24.04
               python-version: '3.13'
               toxenv: py313-fuse3
@@ -199,7 +184,7 @@ jobs:
 
   macOS:
 
-    needs: linux
+    if: false  # enable/disable macOS build
     strategy:
       fail-fast: true
       matrix:
@@ -271,10 +256,9 @@ jobs:
 
   windows:
 
-    if: false  # can be used to temporarily disable the build
+    if: true  # can be used to temporarily disable the build
     runs-on: windows-latest
     timeout-minutes: 120
-    needs: linux
 
     env:
       PY_COLORS: 1
diff --git a/src/borg/helpers/parseformat.py b/src/borg/helpers/parseformat.py
index 5f051d0eca..1168469e0a 100644
--- a/src/borg/helpers/parseformat.py
+++ b/src/borg/helpers/parseformat.py
@@ -18,6 +18,7 @@
 from string import Formatter
 
 from ..logger import create_logger
+from ..platformflags import is_windows
 
 logger = create_logger()
 
@@ -455,8 +456,9 @@ class Location:
         (?P<path>.+)
     """
 
-    # abs_path must start with a slash.
-    abs_path_re = r"(?P<path>/.+)"
+    abs_path_re_posix = r"(?P<path>/.+)"  # abs path must start with a slash.
+    abs_path_re_win = r"(?P<path>[a-zA-Z]:/.+)"  # abs path must start with drive : slash.
+    abs_path_re = abs_path_re_win if is_windows else abs_path_re_posix
 
     # path may or may not start with a slash.
     abs_or_rel_path_re = r"(?P<path>.+)"
@@ -495,7 +497,8 @@ class Location:
 
     rclone_re = re.compile(r"(?P<proto>rclone):(?P<path>(.*))", re.VERBOSE)
 
-    file_or_socket_re = re.compile(r"(?P<proto>(file|socket))://" + abs_path_re, re.VERBOSE)
+    sep = r"/" if is_windows else r""  # on windows, an addtl. slash is needed
+    file_or_socket_re = re.compile(r"(?P<proto>(file|socket))://" + sep + abs_path_re, re.VERBOSE)
 
     local_re = re.compile(local_path_re, re.VERBOSE)
 
diff --git a/src/borg/legacyrepository.py b/src/borg/legacyrepository.py
index 719f947f17..e94b2ecf3b 100644
--- a/src/borg/legacyrepository.py
+++ b/src/borg/legacyrepository.py
@@ -1,4 +1,6 @@
 import errno
+from pathlib import Path
+
 import mmap
 import os
 import shutil
@@ -192,7 +194,7 @@ class PathPermissionDenied(Error):
 
     def __init__(self, path, create=False, exclusive=False, lock_wait=None, lock=True, send_log_cb=None):
         self.path = os.path.abspath(path)
-        self._location = Location("file://%s" % self.path)
+        self._location = Location(Path(self.path).as_uri())
         self.version = None
         # long-running repository methods which emit log or progress output are responsible for calling
         # the ._send_log method periodically to get log and progress output transferred to the borg client
diff --git a/src/borg/platformflags.py b/src/borg/platformflags.py
index da4e5f6feb..25917a1333 100644
--- a/src/borg/platformflags.py
+++ b/src/borg/platformflags.py
@@ -8,6 +8,8 @@
 
 is_win32 = sys.platform.startswith("win32")
 is_cygwin = sys.platform.startswith("cygwin")
+is_msys = sys.platform.startswith("msys")
+is_windows = is_win32 or is_cygwin or is_msys
 
 is_linux = sys.platform.startswith("linux")
 is_freebsd = sys.platform.startswith("freebsd")
diff --git a/src/borg/repository.py b/src/borg/repository.py
index 42405c09fa..080691530c 100644
--- a/src/borg/repository.py
+++ b/src/borg/repository.py
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 import os
 import time
+from pathlib import Path
 
 from borgstore.store import Store
 from borgstore.store import ObjectNotFound as StoreObjectNotFound
@@ -105,11 +106,11 @@ def __init__(
         if isinstance(path_or_location, Location):
             location = path_or_location
             if location.proto == "file":
-                url = f"file://{location.path}"  # frequently users give without file:// prefix
+                url = Path(location.path).absolute().as_uri()  # frequently users give without file:// prefix
             else:
                 url = location.processed  # location as given by user, processed placeholders
         else:
-            url = "file://%s" % os.path.abspath(path_or_location)
+            url = Path(path_or_location).absolute().as_uri()
             location = Location(url)
         self._location = location
         self.url = url
diff --git a/src/borg/testsuite/archiver/lock_cmds_test.py b/src/borg/testsuite/archiver/lock_cmds_test.py
index 139fb0770c..9f97f85bd5 100644
--- a/src/borg/testsuite/archiver/lock_cmds_test.py
+++ b/src/borg/testsuite/archiver/lock_cmds_test.py
@@ -18,7 +18,7 @@ def test_break_lock(archivers, request):
 def test_with_lock(tmp_path):
     repo_path = tmp_path / "repo"
     env = os.environ.copy()
-    env["BORG_REPO"] = "file://" + str(repo_path)
+    env["BORG_REPO"] = repo_path.as_uri()
     command0 = "python3", "-m", "borg", "repo-create", "--encryption=none"
     # Timings must be adjusted so that command1 keeps running while command2 tries to get the lock,
     # so that lock acquisition for command2 fails as the test expects it.
diff --git a/src/borg/testsuite/storelocking_test.py b/src/borg/testsuite/storelocking_test.py
index ea091a83ba..7e1d95f996 100644
--- a/src/borg/testsuite/storelocking_test.py
+++ b/src/borg/testsuite/storelocking_test.py
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
 import time
+from pathlib import Path
 
 import pytest
 
@@ -12,7 +13,7 @@
 
 @pytest.fixture()
 def lockstore(tmpdir):
-    store = Store("file://" + str(tmpdir / "lockstore"), levels={"locks/": [0]})
+    store = Store(Path(tmpdir / "lockstore").as_uri(), levels={"locks/": [0]})
     store.create()
     with store:
         yield store