diff --git a/make.py b/make.py
index 05351663..c31bada7 100644
--- a/make.py
+++ b/make.py
@@ -144,11 +144,6 @@ def get_tool_path(relpath, checkfunc):
         if get_tool_path (r'\tools\SciTE.exe', osp.isfile):
             installed_tools += [('SciTE', '3.3.7')]
 
-        gccpath = get_tool_path(self.MINGW32_PATH, osp.isdir)
-        if gccpath is not None:
-            gccver = utils.get_gcc_version(gccpath)
-            installed_tools += [('MinGW32', gccver)]
-
         rpath = get_tool_path(self.R_PATH, osp.isdir)
         if rpath is not None:
             rver = utils.get_r_version(rpath)
@@ -308,7 +303,7 @@ def create_batch_script(self, name, contents):
         fd.close()
 
     def create_launcher(self, name, icon, command=None,
-                        args=None, workdir=None,
+                        args=None, workdir=r'$EXEDIR\scripts',
                         launcher='launcher_basic.nsi'):
         """Create exe launcher with NSIS"""
         assert name.endswith('.exe')
@@ -495,13 +490,11 @@ def _create_launchers(self):
         self._print("Creating launchers")
         self.create_launcher('WinPython Command Prompt.exe', 'cmd.ico',
                              command='$SYSDIR\cmd.exe',
-                             args=r'/k cmd.bat',
-                             workdir='$EXEDIR\scripts')        
+                             args=r'/k cmd.bat')        
         
         self.create_launcher('WinPython Interpreter.exe', 'python.ico',
                              command='$SYSDIR\cmd.exe',
-                             args= r'/k python.bat',
-                             workdir='$EXEDIR\scripts')
+                             args= r'/k python.bat')
 
         #self.create_launcher('IDLEX (students).exe', 'python.ico',
         #                     command='$SYSDIR\cmd.exe',
@@ -509,56 +502,46 @@ def _create_launchers(self):
         #                     workdir='$EXEDIR\scripts')
         self.create_launcher('IDLEX (Python GUI).exe', 'python.ico',
                              command='wscript.exe',
-                             args= r'Noshell.vbs IDLEX.bat',
-                             workdir='$EXEDIR\scripts')
+                             args= r'Noshell.vbs IDLEX.bat')
 
         self.create_launcher('Spyder.exe', 'spyder.ico',
                              command='wscript.exe',
-                             args=r'Noshell.vbs spyder.bat',
-                             workdir='$EXEDIR\Scripts')
+                             args=r'Noshell.vbs spyder.bat')
 
         self.create_launcher('Spyder reset.exe', 'spyder_reset.ico',
                              command='wscript.exe',
-                             args=r'Noshell.vbs spyder_reset.bat',
-                             workdir='$EXEDIR\Scripts')
+                             args=r'Noshell.vbs spyder_reset.bat')
 
         self.create_launcher('WinPython Control Panel.exe', 'winpython.ico',
                              command='wscript.exe',
-                             args=r'Noshell.vbs wpcp.bat',
-                             workdir='$EXEDIR\Scripts')
+                             args=r'Noshell.vbs wpcp.bat')
 
         # Multi-Qt launchers (Qt5 has priority if found)
         self.create_launcher('Qt Demo.exe', 'qt.ico',
                              command='wscript.exe',
-                             args=r'Noshell.vbs qtdemo.bat',
-                             workdir='$EXEDIR\Scripts')
+                             args=r'Noshell.vbs qtdemo.bat')
 
         self.create_launcher('Qt Assistant.exe', 'qtassistant.ico',
                              command='wscript.exe',
-                             args=r'Noshell.vbs qtassistant.bat',
-                             workdir='$EXEDIR\Scripts')
+                             args=r'Noshell.vbs qtassistant.bat')
 
         self.create_launcher('Qt Designer.exe', 'qtdesigner.ico',
                              command='wscript.exe',
-                             args=r'Noshell.vbs qtdesigner.bat',
-                             workdir='$EXEDIR\Scripts')
+                             args=r'Noshell.vbs qtdesigner.bat')
 
         self.create_launcher('Qt Linguist.exe', 'qtlinguist.ico',
                              command='wscript.exe',
-                             args=r'Noshell.vbs qtlinguist.bat',
-                             workdir='$EXEDIR\Scripts')
+                             args=r'Noshell.vbs qtlinguist.bat')
 
         # Jupyter launchers
         self.create_launcher('IPython Qt Console.exe', 'ipython.ico',
                              command='wscript.exe',
-                             args=r'Noshell.vbs qtconsole.bat',
-                             workdir='$EXEDIR\Scripts')
+                             args=r'Noshell.vbs qtconsole.bat')
 
         # this one needs a shell to kill fantom processes
         self.create_launcher('Jupyter Notebook.exe', 'jupyter.ico',
                              command='$SYSDIR\cmd.exe',
-                             args=r'/k ipython_notebook.bat',
-                             workdir='$EXEDIR\Scripts')
+                             args=r'/k ipython_notebook.bat')
 
         self._print_done()
 
diff --git a/winpython/utils.py b/winpython/utils.py
index 11f7c30f..2a22002e 100644
--- a/winpython/utils.py
+++ b/winpython/utils.py
@@ -232,11 +232,6 @@ def exec_shell_cmd(args, path):
     return decode_fs_string(process.stdout.read())
 
 
-def get_gcc_version(path):
-    """Return version of the GCC compiler installed in *path*"""
-    return exec_shell_cmd('gcc --version', path).splitlines()[0].split()[-1]
-
-
 def get_r_version(path):
     """Return version of the R installed in *path*"""
     return exec_shell_cmd('dir ..\README.R*', path).splitlines()[-3].split("-")[-1]
@@ -611,9 +606,6 @@ def do_script(this_script, python_exe=None, copy_to=None,
 
 
 if __name__ == '__main__':
-    gcc = get_gcc_version(osp.join(BASE_DIR, 'tools.win32', 'mingw32', 'bin'))
-    print(("gcc version: %r" % gcc))
-
     thg = get_thg_version(osp.join(BASE_DIR, 'tools', 'tortoisehg'))
     print(("thg version: %r" % thg))