diff --git a/Jenkinsfile b/Jenkinsfile
index a9051db7b64e..03ad7d88acf6 100644
--- a/Jenkinsfile
+++ b/Jenkinsfile
@@ -390,13 +390,11 @@ core_logic: {
     },
     'Build CPU windows':{
       node(NODE_WINDOWS_CPU) {
-        timeout(time: max_time, unit: 'MINUTES') {
-          ws('workspace/build-cpu') {
-            withEnv(['OpenBLAS_HOME=C:\\mxnet\\openblas', 'OpenCV_DIR=C:\\mxnet\\opencv_vc14', 'CUDA_PATH=C:\\CUDA\\v8.0']) {
-              utils.init_git_win()
-              powershell 'python ci/build_windows.py -f WIN_CPU'
-              stash includes: 'windows_package.7z', name: 'windows_package_cpu'
-            }
+        ws('workspace/build-cpu') {
+          timeout(time: max_time, unit: 'MINUTES') {
+            utils.init_git_win()
+            powershell 'py -3 ci/build_windows.py -f WIN_CPU'
+            stash includes: 'windows_package.7z', name: 'windows_package_cpu'
           }
         }
       }
@@ -404,26 +402,22 @@ core_logic: {
 
     'Build GPU windows':{
       node(NODE_WINDOWS_CPU) {
-        timeout(time: max_time, unit: 'MINUTES') {
-          ws('workspace/build-gpu') {
-            withEnv(['OpenBLAS_HOME=C:\\mxnet\\openblas', 'OpenCV_DIR=C:\\mxnet\\opencv_vc14', 'CUDA_PATH=C:\\CUDA\\v8.0']) {
+        ws('workspace/build-gpu') {
+          timeout(time: max_time, unit: 'MINUTES') {
               utils.init_git_win()
-              powershell 'python ci/build_windows.py -f WIN_GPU'
+              powershell 'py -3 ci/build_windows.py -f WIN_GPU'
               stash includes: 'windows_package.7z', name: 'windows_package_gpu'
-            }
           }
         }
       }
     },
     'Build GPU MKLDNN windows':{
       node(NODE_WINDOWS_CPU) {
-        timeout(time: max_time, unit: 'MINUTES') {
-          ws('workspace/build-gpu') {
-            withEnv(['OpenBLAS_HOME=C:\\mxnet\\openblas', 'OpenCV_DIR=C:\\mxnet\\opencv_vc14', 'CUDA_PATH=C:\\CUDA\\v8.0','BUILD_NAME=vc14_gpu_mkldnn']) {
-              utils.init_git_win()
-              powershell 'python ci/build_windows.py -f WIN_GPU_MKLDNN'
-              stash includes: 'windows_package.7z', name: 'windows_package_gpu_mkldnn'
-            }
+        ws('workspace/build-gpu') {
+          timeout(time: max_time, unit: 'MINUTES') {
+            utils.init_git_win()
+            powershell 'py -3 ci/build_windows.py -f WIN_GPU_MKLDNN'
+            stash includes: 'windows_package.7z', name: 'windows_package_gpu_mkldnn'
           }
         }
       }
diff --git a/ci/build_windows.py b/ci/build_windows.py
index 56769f7cdaf0..427e50f1cc0c 100755
--- a/ci/build_windows.py
+++ b/ci/build_windows.py
@@ -216,11 +216,11 @@ def main():
     if system == 'Windows':
         logging.info("Detected Windows platform")
         if 'OpenBLAS_HOME' not in os.environ:
-            os.environ["OpenBLAS_HOME"] = "C:\\mxnet\\openblas"
+            os.environ["OpenBLAS_HOME"] = "C:\\Program Files\\OpenBLAS-v0.2.19"
         if 'OpenCV_DIR' not in os.environ:
-            os.environ["OpenCV_DIR"] = "C:\\mxnet\\opencv_vc14"
+            os.environ["OpenCV_DIR"] = "C:\\Program Files\\OpenCV-v3.4.1\\build"
         if 'CUDA_PATH' not in os.environ:
-            os.environ["CUDA_PATH"] = "C:\\CUDA\\v8.0"
+            os.environ["CUDA_PATH"] = "C:\\Program Files\\NVIDIA GPU Computing Toolkit\\CUDA\\v9.2"
         windows_build(args)
 
     elif system == 'Linux' or system == 'Darwin':
diff --git a/ci/docker/qemu/runtime_functions.py b/ci/docker/qemu/runtime_functions.py
index 8b8e5acb503c..9c137f6c32f2 100755
--- a/ci/docker/qemu/runtime_functions.py
+++ b/ci/docker/qemu/runtime_functions.py
@@ -77,8 +77,8 @@ def run_ut_python3_qemu_internal():
     logging.info("=== NOW Running inside QEMU ===")
     logging.info("PIP Installing %s", pkg)
     check_call(['sudo', 'pip3', 'install', pkg])
-    logging.info("PIP Installing mxnet/tests/requirements.txt")
-    check_call(['sudo', 'pip3', 'install', '-r', 'mxnet/tests/requirements.txt'])
+    logging.info("PIP Installing mxnet/test_requirements.txt")
+    check_call(['sudo', 'pip3', 'install', '-r', 'mxnet/test_requirements.txt'])
     logging.info("Running tests in mxnet/tests/python/unittest/")
     check_call(['nosetests', '--with-timer', '--with-xunit', '--xunit-file', 'nosetests_unittest.xml', '--verbose', 'mxnet/tests/python/unittest/test_engine.py'])
     # Example to run a single unit test:
diff --git a/ci/docker/qemu/vmcontrol.py b/ci/docker/qemu/vmcontrol.py
index a7e8c0ff0122..a5b025bb6cae 100644
--- a/ci/docker/qemu/vmcontrol.py
+++ b/ci/docker/qemu/vmcontrol.py
@@ -187,6 +187,7 @@ def qemu_provision(ssh_port=QEMU_SSH_PORT):
     qemu_rsync(ssh_port, '/work/runtime_functions.py','')
     qemu_rsync(ssh_port, '/work/vmcontrol.py','')
     qemu_rsync(ssh_port, 'mxnet/tests', 'mxnet')
+    qemu_rsync(ssh_port, 'mxnet/ci/qemu/test_requirements.txt', 'mxnet/test_requirements.txt')
     logging.info("Provisioning completed successfully.")
 
 
diff --git a/ci/jenkins/Jenkins_steps.groovy b/ci/jenkins/Jenkins_steps.groovy
index 81b573a97b24..73c60290d32b 100644
--- a/ci/jenkins/Jenkins_steps.groovy
+++ b/ci/jenkins/Jenkins_steps.groovy
@@ -450,13 +450,11 @@ def compile_unix_amalgamation() {
 def compile_windows_cpu() {
     return ['Build CPU windows':{
       node(NODE_WINDOWS_CPU) {
-        timeout(time: max_time, unit: 'MINUTES') {
-          ws('workspace/build-cpu') {
-            withEnv(['OpenBLAS_HOME=C:\\mxnet\\openblas', 'OpenCV_DIR=C:\\mxnet\\opencv_vc14', 'CUDA_PATH=C:\\CUDA\\v8.0']) {
-              utils.init_git_win()
-              powershell 'python ci/build_windows.py -f WIN_CPU'
-              stash includes: 'windows_package.7z', name: 'windows_package_cpu'
-            }
+        ws('workspace/build-cpu') {
+          timeout(time: max_time, unit: 'MINUTES') {
+            utils.init_git_win()
+            powershell 'py -3 ci/build_windows.py -f WIN_CPU'
+            stash includes: 'windows_package.7z', name: 'windows_package_cpu'
           }
         }
       }
@@ -466,13 +464,11 @@ def compile_windows_cpu() {
 def compile_windows_gpu() {
     return ['Build GPU windows':{
       node(NODE_WINDOWS_CPU) {
-        timeout(time: max_time, unit: 'MINUTES') {
-          ws('workspace/build-gpu') {
-            withEnv(['OpenBLAS_HOME=C:\\mxnet\\openblas', 'OpenCV_DIR=C:\\mxnet\\opencv_vc14', 'CUDA_PATH=C:\\CUDA\\v8.0']) {
+        ws('workspace/build-gpu') {
+          timeout(time: max_time, unit: 'MINUTES') {
               utils.init_git_win()
-              powershell 'python ci/build_windows.py -f WIN_GPU'
+              powershell 'py -3 ci/build_windows.py -f WIN_GPU'
               stash includes: 'windows_package.7z', name: 'windows_package_gpu'
-            }
           }
         }
       }
@@ -482,13 +478,11 @@ def compile_windows_gpu() {
 def compile_windows_gpu_mkldnn() {
     return ['Build GPU MKLDNN windows':{
       node(NODE_WINDOWS_CPU) {
-        timeout(time: max_time, unit: 'MINUTES') {
-          ws('workspace/build-gpu') {
-            withEnv(['OpenBLAS_HOME=C:\\mxnet\\openblas', 'OpenCV_DIR=C:\\mxnet\\opencv_vc14', 'CUDA_PATH=C:\\CUDA\\v8.0','BUILD_NAME=vc14_gpu_mkldnn']) {
-              utils.init_git_win()
-              powershell 'python ci/build_windows.py -f WIN_GPU_MKLDNN'
-              stash includes: 'windows_package.7z', name: 'windows_package_gpu_mkldnn'
-            }
+        ws('workspace/build-gpu') {
+          timeout(time: max_time, unit: 'MINUTES') {
+            utils.init_git_win()
+            powershell 'py -3 ci/build_windows.py -f WIN_GPU_MKLDNN'
+            stash includes: 'windows_package.7z', name: 'windows_package_gpu_mkldnn'
           }
         }
       }
diff --git a/ci/jenkins/Jenkinsfile_windows_cpu b/ci/jenkins/Jenkinsfile_windows_cpu
index 9e70df38dca5..67a06116da1f 100644
--- a/ci/jenkins/Jenkinsfile_windows_cpu
+++ b/ci/jenkins/Jenkinsfile_windows_cpu
@@ -35,12 +35,12 @@ utils.main_wrapper(
 core_logic: {
   utils.parallel_stage('Build', [
     custom_steps.compile_windows_cpu()
-  ]) 
+  ])
 
   utils.parallel_stage('Tests', [
     custom_steps.test_windows_python2_cpu(),
     custom_steps.test_windows_python3_cpu()
-  ]) 
+  ])
 }
 ,
 failure_handler: {
diff --git a/ci/qemu/README.md b/ci/qemu/README.md
index 498f8b7a8739..4beca4a03690 100644
--- a/ci/qemu/README.md
+++ b/ci/qemu/README.md
@@ -86,3 +86,7 @@ pip3 install -r mxnet_requirements.txt
 
 
 To access qemu control console from tmux: `ctrl-a a c`
+
+# CI and Testing
+
+Formally, [runtime_functions.py](https://github.com/apache/incubator-mxnet/blob/master/ci/docker/qemu/runtime_functions.py) would [run](https://github.com/apache/incubator-mxnet/blob/8beea18e3d9835f90b59d3f9de8f9945ac819423/ci/docker/qemu/runtime_functions.py#L81) *pip install -r [mxnet/tests/requirements.txt](https://github.com/apache/incubator-mxnet/blob/master/tests/requirements.txt)*. If the requirements change, there can be an unfortunate side-effect that there are no wheel files for Raspberry Pi for the new requirement. This would trigger a build from source on the emulator, which can take a long time and cause job timeouts. Therefore, we no longer install the `tests/requirements.txt` requirements, but rather rely on [test_requirements.txt](https://github.com/apache/incubator-mxnet/blob/master/ci/qemu/test_requirements.txt) to maintain the requirements for the qemu tests. Should any requirements changes lead to a job time out, it is incumbent on the submitter to update the image to include the requirement and unblock ci.
diff --git a/ci/qemu/test_requirements.txt b/ci/qemu/test_requirements.txt
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..77037d89c673
--- /dev/null
+++ b/ci/qemu/test_requirements.txt
@@ -0,0 +1,3 @@
+mock
+nose
+nose-timer
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/ci/windows/test_py2_cpu.ps1 b/ci/windows/test_py2_cpu.ps1
index 702a2db90ed7..4cef0ea84c20 100644
--- a/ci/windows/test_py2_cpu.ps1
+++ b/ci/windows/test_py2_cpu.ps1
@@ -19,8 +19,10 @@
 $env:MXNET_LIBRARY_PATH=join-path $pwd.Path windows_package\lib\libmxnet.dll
 $env:PYTHONPATH=join-path $pwd.Path windows_package\python
 $env:MXNET_STORAGE_FALLBACK_LOG_VERBOSE=0
-c:\Anaconda3\envs\py2\Scripts\pip install -r tests\requirements.txt
-c:\Anaconda3\envs\py2\python.exe -m nose -v --with-timer --timer-ok 1 --timer-warning 15 --timer-filter warning,error --with-xunit --xunit-file nosetests_unittest.xml tests\python\unittest
+$env:MXNET_HOME=[io.path]::combine($PSScriptRoot, 'mxnet_home')
+
+C:\Python27\Scripts\pip install -r tests\requirements.txt
+C:\Python27\python.exe -m nose -v --with-timer --timer-ok 1 --timer-warning 15 --timer-filter warning,error --with-xunit --xunit-file nosetests_unittest.xml tests\python\unittest
 if (! $?) { Throw ("Error running unittest") }
-c:\Anaconda3\envs\py2\python.exe -m nose -v --with-timer --timer-ok 1 --timer-warning 15 --timer-filter warning,error --with-xunit --xunit-file nosetests_train.xml tests\python\train
+C:\Python27\python.exe -m nose -v --with-timer --timer-ok 1 --timer-warning 15 --timer-filter warning,error --with-xunit --xunit-file nosetests_train.xml tests\python\train
 if (! $?) { Throw ("Error running train tests") }
diff --git a/ci/windows/test_py2_gpu.ps1 b/ci/windows/test_py2_gpu.ps1
index 0cf2717fa208..a113ee003274 100644
--- a/ci/windows/test_py2_gpu.ps1
+++ b/ci/windows/test_py2_gpu.ps1
@@ -19,12 +19,14 @@
 $env:MXNET_LIBRARY_PATH=join-path $pwd.Path windows_package\lib\libmxnet.dll
 $env:PYTHONPATH=join-path $pwd.Path windows_package\python
 $env:MXNET_STORAGE_FALLBACK_LOG_VERBOSE=0
-c:\Anaconda3\envs\py2\Scripts\pip install -r tests\requirements.txt
-c:\Anaconda3\envs\py2\python.exe -m nose -v --with-timer --timer-ok 1 --timer-warning 15 --timer-filter warning,error --with-xunit --xunit-file nosetests_unittest.xml tests\python\unittest
+$env:MXNET_HOME=[io.path]::combine($PSScriptRoot, 'mxnet_home')
+
+C:\Python27\Scripts\pip install -r tests\requirements.txt
+C:\Python27\python.exe -m nose -v --with-timer --timer-ok 1 --timer-warning 15 --timer-filter warning,error --with-xunit --xunit-file nosetests_unittest.xml tests\python\unittest
 if (! $?) { Throw ("Error running unittest") }
-c:\Anaconda3\envs\py2\python.exe -m nose -v --with-timer --timer-ok 1 --timer-warning 15 --timer-filter warning,error --with-xunit --xunit-file nosetests_operator.xml tests\python\gpu\test_operator_gpu.py
+C:\Python27\python.exe -m nose -v --with-timer --timer-ok 1 --timer-warning 15 --timer-filter warning,error --with-xunit --xunit-file nosetests_operator.xml tests\python\gpu\test_operator_gpu.py
 if (! $?) { Throw ("Error running tests") }
-c:\Anaconda3\envs\py2\python.exe -m nose -v --with-timer --timer-ok 1 --timer-warning 15 --timer-filter warning,error --with-xunit --xunit-file nosetests_forward.xml tests\python\gpu\test_forward.py
+C:\Python27\python.exe -m nose -v --with-timer --timer-ok 1 --timer-warning 15 --timer-filter warning,error --with-xunit --xunit-file nosetests_forward.xml tests\python\gpu\test_forward.py
 if (! $?) { Throw ("Error running tests") }
-c:\Anaconda3\envs\py2\python.exe -m nose -v --with-timer --timer-ok 1 --timer-warning 15 --timer-filter warning,error tests\python\train
+C:\Python27\python.exe -m nose -v --with-timer --timer-ok 1 --timer-warning 15 --timer-filter warning,error tests\python\train
 if (! $?) { Throw ("Error running tests") }
diff --git a/ci/windows/test_py3_cpu.ps1 b/ci/windows/test_py3_cpu.ps1
index a7774a63dd86..9d838c26228d 100644
--- a/ci/windows/test_py3_cpu.ps1
+++ b/ci/windows/test_py3_cpu.ps1
@@ -19,8 +19,10 @@
 $env:MXNET_LIBRARY_PATH=join-path $pwd.Path windows_package\lib\libmxnet.dll
 $env:PYTHONPATH=join-path $pwd.Path windows_package\python
 $env:MXNET_STORAGE_FALLBACK_LOG_VERBOSE=0
-c:\Anaconda3\envs\py3\Scripts\pip install -r tests\requirements.txt
-c:\Anaconda3\envs\py3\python.exe -m nose -v --with-timer --timer-ok 1 --timer-warning 15 --timer-filter warning,error --with-xunit --xunit-file nosetests_unittest.xml tests\python\unittest
+$env:MXNET_HOME=[io.path]::combine($PSScriptRoot, 'mxnet_home')
+
+C:\Python37\Scripts\pip install -r tests\requirements.txt
+C:\Python37\python.exe -m nose -v --with-timer --timer-ok 1 --timer-warning 15 --timer-filter warning,error --with-xunit --xunit-file nosetests_unittest.xml tests\python\unittest
 if (! $?) { Throw ("Error running unittest") }
-c:\Anaconda3\envs\py3\python.exe -m nose -v --with-timer --timer-ok 1 --timer-warning 15 --timer-filter warning,error --with-xunit --xunit-file nosetests_train.xml tests\python\train
+C:\Python37\python.exe -m nose -v --with-timer --timer-ok 1 --timer-warning 15 --timer-filter warning,error --with-xunit --xunit-file nosetests_train.xml tests\python\train
 if (! $?) { Throw ("Error running train tests") }
diff --git a/ci/windows/test_py3_gpu.ps1 b/ci/windows/test_py3_gpu.ps1
index f9955ef6473f..5492538174cf 100644
--- a/ci/windows/test_py3_gpu.ps1
+++ b/ci/windows/test_py3_gpu.ps1
@@ -19,12 +19,14 @@
 $env:MXNET_LIBRARY_PATH=join-path $pwd.Path windows_package\lib\libmxnet.dll
 $env:PYTHONPATH=join-path $pwd.Path windows_package\python
 $env:MXNET_STORAGE_FALLBACK_LOG_VERBOSE=0
-c:\Anaconda3\envs\py3\Scripts\pip install -r tests\requirements.txt
-c:\Anaconda3\envs\py3\python.exe -m nose -v --with-timer --timer-ok 1 --timer-warning 15 --timer-filter warning,error --with-xunit --xunit-file nosetests_unittest.xml tests\python\unittest
+$env:MXNET_HOME=[io.path]::combine($PSScriptRoot, 'mxnet_home')
+
+C:\Python37\Scripts\pip install -r tests\requirements.txt
+C:\Python37\python.exe -m nose -v --with-timer --timer-ok 1 --timer-warning 15 --timer-filter warning,error --with-xunit --xunit-file nosetests_unittest.xml tests\python\unittest
 if (! $?) { Throw ("Error running unittest") }
-c:\Anaconda3\envs\py3\python.exe -m nose -v --with-timer --timer-ok 1 --timer-warning 15 --timer-filter warning,error --with-xunit --xunit-file nosetests_operator.xml tests\python\gpu\test_operator_gpu.py
+C:\Python37\python.exe -m nose -v --with-timer --timer-ok 1 --timer-warning 15 --timer-filter warning,error --with-xunit --xunit-file nosetests_operator.xml tests\python\gpu\test_operator_gpu.py
 if (! $?) { Throw ("Error running tests") }
-c:\Anaconda3\envs\py3\python.exe -m nose -v --with-timer --timer-ok 1 --timer-warning 15 --timer-filter warning,error --with-xunit --xunit-file nosetests_forward.xml tests\python\gpu\test_forward.py
+C:\Python37\python.exe -m nose -v --with-timer --timer-ok 1 --timer-warning 15 --timer-filter warning,error --with-xunit --xunit-file nosetests_forward.xml tests\python\gpu\test_forward.py
 if (! $?) { Throw ("Error running tests") }
-c:\Anaconda3\envs\py3\python.exe -m nose -v --with-timer --timer-ok 1 --timer-warning 15 --timer-filter warning,error --with-xunit --xunit-file nosetests_train.xml tests\python\train
+C:\Python37\python.exe -m nose -v --with-timer --timer-ok 1 --timer-warning 15 --timer-filter warning,error --with-xunit --xunit-file nosetests_train.xml tests\python\train
 if (! $?) { Throw ("Error running tests") }
diff --git a/tests/requirements.txt b/tests/requirements.txt
index 3ca696b288c9..e16b764d2746 100644
--- a/tests/requirements.txt
+++ b/tests/requirements.txt
@@ -1,4 +1,8 @@
 # Requirements for tests, those are installed before running on the virtualenv
+# Requirements for tests run within the qemu requirement see ci/qemu/test_requirements.txt
 mock
 nose
 nose-timer
+ipython
+numpy
+scipy