diff --git a/auth.go b/auth.go
index cc3b042..fa932ca 100644
--- a/auth.go
+++ b/auth.go
@@ -215,18 +215,39 @@ func AuthUserByToken(ctx *AuthCtx, username string, connhostname string, auth st
 	return
 }
 
+func GroomFsPath(path string) (ret string) {
+	pathRoot := os.Getenv("MINGW_ROOT")
+	if pathRoot != "" {
+		ret = path[len(pathRoot):]
+		ret = strings.ReplaceAll(ret, "\\", "/")
+	} else {
+		ret = path
+	}
+	fmt.Printf("groomed fspath:%v\n", ret)
+	return
+}
+
 func GetTool(tool string) (ret string) {
-	ret = "/bin/" + tool
+	cmdSuffix := ""
+	pathRoot := os.Getenv("MINGW_ROOT")
+
+	if pathRoot != "" {
+		cmdSuffix = ".exe"
+	}
+
+	fmt.Printf("pathRoot:%v cmdSuffix:%v\n", pathRoot, cmdSuffix)
+
+	ret = pathRoot + "/bin/" + tool + cmdSuffix
 	_, err := os.Stat(ret)
 	if err == nil {
 		return ret
 	}
-	ret = "/usr/bin/" + tool
+	ret = pathRoot + "/usr/bin/" + tool + cmdSuffix
 	_, err = os.Stat(ret)
 	if err == nil {
 		return ret
 	}
-	ret = "/usr/local/bin/" + tool
+	ret = pathRoot + "/usr/local/bin/" + tool + cmdSuffix
 	_, err = os.Stat(ret)
 	if err == nil {
 		return ret
diff --git a/xs/xs.go b/xs/xs.go
index f350b4e..fa6cbfd 100755
--- a/xs/xs.go
+++ b/xs/xs.go
@@ -294,7 +294,14 @@ func buildCmdLocalToRemote(copyQuiet bool, copyLimitBPS uint, files string) (cap
 
 		captureStderr = true
 		cmd = xs.GetTool("tar")
-		args = []string{"-cz", "-f", "/dev/stdout"}
+		fmt.Printf("GetTool found cmd:%v\n", cmd)
+		/* Explicit -f /dev/stdout doesn't work in MINGW/MSYS64
+		 * as '/dev/stdout' doesn't actually appear in the /dev/ filesystem...?
+		 * And it appears not to actually be required as without -f stdout is
+		 * implied. -rlm 2025-12-07
+		 */
+		//args = []string{"-cz", "-f", "/dev/stdout"}
+		args = []string{"-cz"}
 		files = strings.TrimSpace(files)
 		// Awesome fact: tar actually can take multiple -C args, and
 		// changes to the dest dir *as it sees each one*. This enables
@@ -310,6 +317,7 @@ func buildCmdLocalToRemote(copyQuiet bool, copyLimitBPS uint, files string) (cap
 		// remote destDir.
 		for _, v := range strings.Split(files, " ") {
 			v, _ = filepath.Abs(v) // #nosec
+			v = xs.GroomFsPath(v)
 			dirTmp, fileTmp := path.Split(v)
 			if dirTmp == "" {
 				args = append(args, fileTmp)
@@ -322,7 +330,8 @@ func buildCmdLocalToRemote(copyQuiet bool, copyLimitBPS uint, files string) (cap
 		bandwidthInBytesPerSec := " -L " + fmt.Sprintf("%d", copyLimitBPS)
 		displayOpts := " -pre " //nolint:goconst,nolintlint
 		cmd = xs.GetTool("bash")
-		args = []string{"-c", xs.GetTool("tar") + " -cz -f /dev/stdout "}
+		//args = []string{"-c", xs.GetTool("tar") + " -cz -f /dev/stdout "}
+		args = []string{"-c", xs.GetTool("tar") + " -cz "}
 		files = strings.TrimSpace(files)
 		// Awesome fact: tar actually can take multiple -C args, and
 		// changes to the dest dir *as it sees each one*. This enables
@@ -338,6 +347,7 @@ func buildCmdLocalToRemote(copyQuiet bool, copyLimitBPS uint, files string) (cap
 		// remote destDir.
 		for _, v := range strings.Split(files, " ") {
 			v, _ = filepath.Abs(v) // #nosec
+			v = xs.GroomFsPath(v)
 			dirTmp, fileTmp := path.Split(v)
 			if dirTmp == "" {
 				args[1] = args[1] + fileTmp + " "
@@ -385,7 +395,9 @@ func doCopyMode(conn *xsnet.Conn, remoteDest bool, files string, copyQuiet bool,
 		} else {
 			c.Stderr = os.Stderr
 		}
-
+		
+		fmt.Printf("cmd:%v args:%v\n", cmdName, cmdArgs)
+		
 		// Start the command (no pty)
 		err = c.Start() // returns immediately
 		/////////////
diff --git a/xsd/xsd.go b/xsd/xsd.go
index dda8ac8..edce34f 100755
--- a/xsd/xsd.go
+++ b/xsd/xsd.go
@@ -100,7 +100,7 @@ func runClientToServerCopyAs(who, ttype string, conn *xsnet.Conn, fpath string,
 	}
 
 	cmdArgs := []string{"-xz", "-C", destDir}
-
+	
 	// NOTE the lack of quotes around --xform option's sed expression.
 	// When args are passed in exec() format, no quoting is required
 	// (as this isn't input from a shell) (right? -rlm 20180823)