diff --git a/.buildkite/scripts/common/vm-images.json b/.buildkite/scripts/common/vm-images.json
index bd1f0d3ed42..282646e96eb 100644
--- a/.buildkite/scripts/common/vm-images.json
+++ b/.buildkite/scripts/common/vm-images.json
@@ -1,13 +1,7 @@
 {
     "#comment": "This file lists all custom vm images. We use it to make decisions about randomized CI jobs.",
     "linux": {
-        "ubuntu": ["ubuntu-2404", "ubuntu-2204", "ubuntu-2004"],
-        "debian": ["debian-12", "debian-11"],
-        "rhel": ["rhel-9", "rhel-8"],
-        "oraclelinux": ["oraclelinux-8", "oraclelinux-7"],
-        "rocky": ["rocky-linux-8"],
-        "amazonlinux": ["amazonlinux-2023"],
         "opensuse": ["opensuse-leap-15"]
     },
-    "windows": ["windows-2025", "windows-2022", "windows-2019", "windows-2016"]
+    "windows": ["windows-2016"]
 }
diff --git a/ci/unit_tests.ps1 b/ci/unit_tests.ps1
index b070c61ffe7..e222a52c75f 100644
--- a/ci/unit_tests.ps1
+++ b/ci/unit_tests.ps1
@@ -68,11 +68,20 @@ else {
 
 if (Test-Path Env:BUILD_JAVA_HOME) {    
     if (Test-Path Env:GRADLE_OPTS) {    
-        $env:GRADLE_OPTS=$env:GRADLE_OPTS + " " + "-Dorg.gradle.java.home=" + $env:BUILD_JAVA_HOME
+        $env:GRADLE_OPTS=$env:GRADLE_OPTS + " -Dorg.gradle.java.home=" + $env:BUILD_JAVA_HOME
     } else {
         $env:GRADLE_OPTS="-Dorg.gradle.java.home=" + $env:BUILD_JAVA_HOME
     }
-}
+} 
+
+# Disable the file watcher to retain compatibility with Windows 2016
+#if (Test-Path Env:GRADLE_OPTS) {    
+#    $env:GRADLE_OPTS="$env:GRADLE_OPTS -Dorg.gradle.vfs.watch=false -Dorg.gradle.daemon=false"
+#} else {
+#    $env:GRADLE_OPTS="-Dorg.gradle.vfs.watch=false -Dorg.gradle.daemon=false"
+#}
+
+$env:ORG_GRADLE_JVMARGS = "-Dorg.gradle.vfs.watch=false  -Dorg.gradle.daemon=false"
 
 $testOpts = "GRADLE_OPTS: $env:GRADLE_OPTS, BUILD_JAVA_HOME: $env:BUILD_JAVA_HOME"
 
@@ -89,7 +98,7 @@ try {
     }
     else {
         Write-Host "~~~ Running all tests via Gradle using $testOpts"
-        $CIScript = ".\gradlew.bat test --console=plain --no-daemon --info"
+        $CIScript = ".\gradlew.bat test --console=plain --no-daemon  --no-watch-fs --scan"
         Invoke-Expression $CIScript
     }