diff --git a/.github/workflows/windows-e2e.yml b/.github/workflows/windows-e2e.yml
index 7438c3236e..a61414d004 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/windows-e2e.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/windows-e2e.yml
@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@ on:
   
 jobs:
   windows-e2e-ocp:
-    uses: crc-org/crc/.github/workflows/windows-qe-tpl.yml@main
+    uses: adrianriobo/crc/.github/workflows/windows-qe-tpl.yml@main
     strategy:
       fail-fast: false
       matrix:
@@ -22,7 +22,7 @@ jobs:
         - qe-type: 'integration'
           preset: 'microshift'
     with:
-      trigger-workflow-id: ${{ github.event.workflow_run.workflow_id }}
+      trigger-workflow-run-id: ${{ github.event.workflow_run.id }}
       qe-type: ${{matrix.qe-type}}
       preset: ${{matrix.preset}}
     secrets: inherit
diff --git a/.github/workflows/windows-qe-tpl.yml b/.github/workflows/windows-qe-tpl.yml
index 1cd1e70169..a26ddd1206 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/windows-qe-tpl.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/windows-qe-tpl.yml
@@ -5,7 +5,8 @@ name: windows-qe-tpl
 on:  
   workflow_call:  
     inputs:  
-      trigger-workflow-id:  
+      trigger-workflow-run-id:  
+        description: run-id of the workflow which originate the execution and where the artifacts have been built
         required: true  
         type: string
       qe-type:  
@@ -31,187 +32,26 @@ jobs:
     steps:
     - name: Download gh context
       id: download-gh-context-artifact
-      uses: dawidd6/action-download-artifact@v3
+      uses: actions/download-artifact@v4
       with:
-        workflow: ${{inputs.trigger-workflow-id}}
         name: gh-context
+        run-id: ${{inputs.trigger-workflow-run-id}}
+        github-token: ${{ github.token }}
 
     - name: Download windows installer
       id: download-windows-installer-artifact
-      uses: dawidd6/action-download-artifact@v3
+      uses: actions/download-artifact@v4
       with:
-        workflow: ${{inputs.trigger-workflow-id}}
         name: windows-installer
-
+        run-id: ${{inputs.trigger-workflow-run-id}}
+        github-token: ${{ github.token }}
+      
     - name: Download qe oci image
       id: download-qe-oci-image-artifact
-      uses: dawidd6/action-download-artifact@v3
+      uses: actions/download-artifact@v4
       with:
-        workflow: ${{inputs.trigger-workflow-id}}
         name: crc-${{inputs.qe-type}}-windows-amd64
+        run-id: ${{inputs.trigger-workflow-run-id}}
+        github-token: ${{ github.token }}
 
-    - name: Correlate
-      env:
-        PULL_SECRET: ${{ secrets.PULL_SECRET }}
-      run: |
-        # Get origin commit sha for testing
-        commit_sha=$(cat gh_context.json | jq -r '.event.after')
-        if [[ -z "${commit_sha}" ]]; then
-          # on first PR creation .event.after is empty, then .sha is used as commit instead
-          commit_sha=$(cat gh_context.json | jq -r '.sha')
-        fi
-        echo "commit_sha=${commit_sha}" >> "$GITHUB_ENV"
-        
-        # Set status_context
-        status_context="ci/gh/${{inputs.qe-type}}"
-        if [[ "${{inputs.qe-type}}" == "e2e" ]]; then
-          status_context="${status_context}-${{inputs.preset}}"
-        fi
-        status_context="${status_context}/windows-${{matrix.windows-version}}-${{matrix.windows-featurepack}}"
-        echo "status_context=${status_context}" >> "$GITHUB_ENV"
-
-        # Save pull-secret as file
-        echo "${PULL_SECRET}" > pull-secret
-
-    - name: Add status to the PR check
-      run: |
-        set -xuo
-        # Status msg
-        data="{\"state\":\"pending\""
-        data="${data},\"description\":\"Running ${{inputs.qe-type}}-${{inputs.preset}} on Windows\""
-        data="${data},\"context\":\"${{ env.status_context }}\""
-        data="${data},\"target_url\":\"https://github.com/${{ github.repository }}/actions/runs/${{ github.run_id }}\"}"
-        # Create status by API call
-        curl -L -v -X POST \
-          -H "Accept: application/vnd.github+json" \
-          -H "Authorization: Bearer ${{ github.token }}" \
-          https://api.github.com/repos/${{ github.repository }}/statuses/${{ env.commit_sha }} \
-          -d "${data}"
-
-    - name: Create Windows instance
-      run: |
-        # Create instance
-        podman run -d --name windows-create --rm \
-          -v ${PWD}:/workspace:z \
-          -e ARM_TENANT_ID=${{secrets.ARM_TENANT_ID}} \
-          -e ARM_SUBSCRIPTION_ID=${{secrets.ARM_SUBSCRIPTION_ID}} \
-          -e ARM_CLIENT_ID=${{secrets.ARM_CLIENT_ID}} \
-          -e ARM_CLIENT_SECRET='${{secrets.ARM_CLIENT_SECRET}}' \
-          -e AZURE_STORAGE_ACCOUNT='${{ secrets.AZURE_STORAGE_ACCOUNT }}' \
-          -e AZURE_STORAGE_KEY='${{ secrets.AZURE_STORAGE_KEY }}' \
-          quay.io/rhqp/qenvs:v0.6.3 azure \
-            windows create \
-            --project-name 'windows-desktop-${{ matrix.windows-version }}-${{ matrix.windows-featurepack }}-${{inputs.qe-type}}-${{inputs.preset}}' \
-            --backed-url azblob://crc-qenvs-state/${{ env.commit_sha }} \
-            --conn-details-output '/workspace' \
-            --windows-version '${{matrix.windows-version}}' \
-            --windows-featurepack '${{matrix.windows-featurepack}}' \
-            --tags project=openshift-local,source=github,org=${{github.repository_owner}} \
-            --spot
-        podman logs -f windows-create
-
-    - name: Install CRC on host
-      run: |
-        podman run --rm -d --name crc-win-support \
-          -e TARGET_HOST=$(cat host) \
-          -e TARGET_HOST_USERNAME=$(cat username) \
-          -e TARGET_HOST_KEY_PATH=/data/id_rsa \
-          -e TARGET_FOLDER=crc-support \
-          -e TARGET_CLEANUP='false' \
-          -e OUTPUT_FOLDER=/data \
-          -e DEBUG='true' \
-          -v ${PWD}:/data:z \
-          -v ${PWD}/crc-windows-installer.zip:/opt/crc-support/crc-windows-installer.zip:z \
-          quay.io/rhqp/crc-support:v0.5-windows crc-support/run.ps1 \
-            -targetPath "/Users/$(cat username)/crc-support" \
-            -download 'false' \
-            -install 'true' \
-            -forceFresh 'false'
-        podman logs -f crc-win-support
-
-    - name: Run CRC ${{inputs.qe-type}}
-      run: |
-        # load image
-        podman load -i crc-${{inputs.qe-type}}-windows-amd64.tar
-        # run
-        cmd="crc-qe/run.ps1 -junitFilename crc-${{inputs.qe-type}}-junit.xml -targetFolder crc-qe"
-        if [[ "${{inputs.qe-type}}" == "e2e" ]]; then
-          if [[ "${{inputs.preset}}" == "microshift" ]]; then
-            cmd="${cmd} -e2eTagExpression '@story_microshift'"
-          else
-            cmd="${cmd} -e2eTagExpression '~@minimal && ~@story_microshift'"
-          fi
-        fi
-        podman run --rm -d --name crc-${{inputs.qe-type}} \
-          -e TARGET_HOST=$(cat host) \
-          -e TARGET_HOST_USERNAME=$(cat username) \
-          -e TARGET_HOST_KEY_PATH=/data/id_rsa \
-          -e TARGET_FOLDER=crc-qe \
-          -e TARGET_RESULTS=results \
-          -e OUTPUT_FOLDER=/data \
-          -e DEBUG=true \
-          -v $PWD/pull-secret:/opt/crc/pull-secret:z \
-          -v $PWD:/data:z \
-          quay.io/crcont/crc-${{inputs.qe-type}}:gh-windows-amd64 \
-              ${cmd} 
-        podman logs -f crc-${{inputs.qe-type}}
-
-    - name: Test Report
-      id: test-report
-      uses: mikepenz/action-junit-report@v4
-      if: always() 
-      with:
-        fail_on_failure: true
-        include_passed: true
-        detailed_summary: true
-        require_tests:  true
-        report_paths: '**/*.xml'
-
-    - name: Upload ${{inputs.qe-type}} results
-      uses: actions/upload-artifact@v4
-      if: always()
-      with:
-        name: windows-${{inputs.qe-type}}-${{inputs.preset}}-${{matrix.windows-version}}${{matrix.windows-featurepack}}
-        path: |
-          **/*.xml
-          **/*.results
-          **/*.log
-
-    - name: Update status of the PR check
-      if: always()
-      run: |
-        set -xuo
-        # Status msg
-        data="{\"state\":\"success\""
-        if [[ ${{steps.test-report.outcome}} != "success" ]]; then 
-          data="{\"state\":\"failure\""
-        fi
-        data="${data},\"description\":\"Finished ${{inputs.qe-type}}-${{inputs.preset}} on Windows\""
-        data="${data},\"context\":\"${{ env.status_context }}\""
-        data="${data},\"target_url\":\"https://github.com/${{ github.repository }}/actions/runs/${{ github.run_id }}\"}"
-        # Create status by API call
-        curl -L -v -X POST \
-          -H "Accept: application/vnd.github+json" \
-          -H "Authorization: Bearer ${{ github.token }}" \
-          https://api.github.com/repos/${{ github.repository }}/statuses/${{ env.commit_sha }} \
-          -d "${data}"
-
-    - name: Destroy instance
-      if: always()
-      run: |
-        # Make sure lock is removed
-        rm -rf .pulumi/locks/*
-        # Destroy 
-        podman run -d --name windows-destroy --rm \
-          -v ${PWD}:/workspace:z \
-          -e ARM_TENANT_ID=${{secrets.ARM_TENANT_ID}} \
-          -e ARM_SUBSCRIPTION_ID=${{secrets.ARM_SUBSCRIPTION_ID}} \
-          -e ARM_CLIENT_ID=${{secrets.ARM_CLIENT_ID}} \
-          -e ARM_CLIENT_SECRET='${{secrets.ARM_CLIENT_SECRET}}' \
-          -e AZURE_STORAGE_ACCOUNT='${{ secrets.AZURE_STORAGE_ACCOUNT }}' \
-          -e AZURE_STORAGE_KEY='${{ secrets.AZURE_STORAGE_KEY }}' \
-          quay.io/rhqp/qenvs:v0.6.3 azure \
-            windows destroy \
-            --project-name 'windows-desktop-${{ matrix.windows-version }}-${{ matrix.windows-featurepack }}-${{inputs.qe-type}}-${{inputs.preset}}' \
-            --backed-url azblob://crc-qenvs-state/${{ env.commit_sha }} 
-        podman logs -f windows-destroy
+    
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index b71593cf07..24f445483e 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -2,12 +2,12 @@ all: install
 
 SHELL := /bin/bash
 
-OPENSHIFT_VERSION ?= 4.15.3
+OPENSHIFT_VERSION ?= 4.15.10
 PODMAN_VERSION ?= 4.4.4
 OKD_VERSION ?= 4.15.0-0.okd-2024-02-23-163410
-MICROSHIFT_VERSION ?= 4.15.3
+MICROSHIFT_VERSION ?= 4.15.9
 BUNDLE_EXTENSION = crcbundle
-CRC_VERSION = 2.34.1
+CRC_VERSION = 2.35.0
 COMMIT_SHA?=$(shell git rev-parse --short=6 HEAD)
 MACOS_INSTALL_PATH = /usr/local/crc
 CONTAINER_RUNTIME ?= podman
diff --git a/cmd/crc/cmd/root.go b/cmd/crc/cmd/root.go
index f257844cab..28d3bab37c 100644
--- a/cmd/crc/cmd/root.go
+++ b/cmd/crc/cmd/root.go
@@ -61,7 +61,8 @@ func init() {
 
 	// Initiate segment client
 	if segmentClient, err = segment.NewClient(config, httpproxy.HTTPTransport()); err != nil {
-		logging.Fatal(err.Error())
+		logging.Warn(err.Error())
+		logging.Warn("Error during segment client initialization, telemetry will be unavailable in this session")
 	}
 
 	// subcommands
diff --git a/images/build-e2e/Containerfile b/images/build-e2e/Containerfile
index 25160ba121..94aaa7634c 100644
--- a/images/build-e2e/Containerfile
+++ b/images/build-e2e/Containerfile
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 
-FROM registry.access.redhat.com/ubi9/go-toolset:1.20 AS builder
+FROM registry.access.redhat.com/ubi8/go-toolset:1.20 AS builder
 
 USER root
 
diff --git a/images/build-integration/Containerfile b/images/build-integration/Containerfile
index 6eda99fd71..ca498f963a 100644
--- a/images/build-integration/Containerfile
+++ b/images/build-integration/Containerfile
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 
-FROM registry.access.redhat.com/ubi9/go-toolset:1.20 AS builder
+FROM registry.access.redhat.com/ubi8/go-toolset:1.20 AS builder
 
 USER root
 
diff --git a/images/build-integration/lib/darwin/run.sh b/images/build-integration/lib/darwin/run.sh
index 4665cca7f5..d8346eacf1 100755
--- a/images/build-integration/lib/darwin/run.sh
+++ b/images/build-integration/lib/darwin/run.sh
@@ -32,14 +32,14 @@ done
 mkdir -p $targetFolder/results
 
 # Run tests
-PATH="$PATH:${HOME}/$targetFolder/bin"
-PULL_SECRET_PATH="${HOME}/$targetFolder/pull-secret"
+export PATH="$PATH:${HOME}/$targetFolder/bin"
+export PULL_SECRET_PATH="${HOME}/$targetFolder/pull-secret"
 if [ ! -z "$bundleLocation" ]
 then
-    BUNDLE_PATH="$bundleLocation"
+    export BUNDLE_PATH="$bundleLocation"
 fi
 cd $targetFolder/bin
-. integration.test > integration.results
+./integration.test > integration.results
 
 # Copy results
 cd ..
diff --git a/images/build-integration/lib/linux/run.sh b/images/build-integration/lib/linux/run.sh
index 4665cca7f5..d8346eacf1 100755
--- a/images/build-integration/lib/linux/run.sh
+++ b/images/build-integration/lib/linux/run.sh
@@ -32,14 +32,14 @@ done
 mkdir -p $targetFolder/results
 
 # Run tests
-PATH="$PATH:${HOME}/$targetFolder/bin"
-PULL_SECRET_PATH="${HOME}/$targetFolder/pull-secret"
+export PATH="$PATH:${HOME}/$targetFolder/bin"
+export PULL_SECRET_PATH="${HOME}/$targetFolder/pull-secret"
 if [ ! -z "$bundleLocation" ]
 then
-    BUNDLE_PATH="$bundleLocation"
+    export BUNDLE_PATH="$bundleLocation"
 fi
 cd $targetFolder/bin
-. integration.test > integration.results
+./integration.test > integration.results
 
 # Copy results
 cd ..
diff --git a/packaging/chocolatey/crc/crc.nuspec.in b/packaging/chocolatey/crc/crc.nuspec.in
index 270bc9f11d..7370b50e5a 100755
--- a/packaging/chocolatey/crc/crc.nuspec.in
+++ b/packaging/chocolatey/crc/crc.nuspec.in
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@
     <owners>anjannath</owners>
     <title>CRC - Runs Containers</title>
     <authors>https://github.com/crc-org</authors>
-    <projectUrl>https://crc.dev/blog/about</projectUrl>
+    <projectUrl>https://crc.dev/blog</projectUrl>
     <bugTrackerUrl>https://github.com/crc-org/crc/issues</bugTrackerUrl>
     <iconUrl>https://cdn.statically.io/gh/crc-org/blog/main/static/crc-upstream-logo.png</iconUrl>
     <licenseUrl>https://github.com/crc-org/crc/blob/main/LICENSE</licenseUrl>
diff --git a/pkg/crc/segment/segment.go b/pkg/crc/segment/segment.go
index ee6c0cc594..5426728702 100644
--- a/pkg/crc/segment/segment.go
+++ b/pkg/crc/segment/segment.go
@@ -39,17 +39,24 @@ type Client struct {
 	identifyHashPath string
 }
 
+var NoopClient = &Client{}
+
 func NewClient(config *crcConfig.Config, transport http.RoundTripper) (*Client, error) {
-	return newCustomClient(config, transport,
+	client, err := newCustomClient(config, transport,
 		filepath.Join(constants.GetHomeDir(), ".redhat", "anonymousId"),
 		filepath.Join(constants.CrcBaseDir, "segmentIdentifyHash"),
 		analytics.DefaultEndpoint)
+	if err != nil {
+		// Return empty client (noop client) -- telemetry will not be available
+		return NoopClient, err
+	}
+	return client, nil
 }
 
 func newCustomClient(config *crcConfig.Config, transport http.RoundTripper, telemetryFilePath, identifyHashFilePath, segmentEndpoint string) (*Client, error) {
 	userID, err := getUserIdentity(telemetryFilePath)
 	if err != nil {
-		return nil, err
+		return NoopClient, err
 	}
 	client, err := analytics.NewWithConfig(WriteKey, analytics.Config{
 		Endpoint: segmentEndpoint,
@@ -60,12 +67,12 @@ func newCustomClient(config *crcConfig.Config, transport http.RoundTripper, tele
 		Transport: transport,
 	})
 	if err != nil {
-		return nil, err
+		return NoopClient, err
 	}
 
 	identifyHash, err := readIdentifyHash(identifyHashFilePath)
 	if err != nil {
-		return nil, err
+		return NoopClient, err
 	}
 
 	return &Client{
@@ -79,15 +86,24 @@ func newCustomClient(config *crcConfig.Config, transport http.RoundTripper, tele
 }
 
 func (c *Client) Close() error {
+	if c == NoopClient {
+		return nil
+	}
 	return c.segmentClient.Close()
 }
 
 func (c *Client) UploadAction(action, source, status string) error {
+	if c == NoopClient {
+		return nil
+	}
 	return c.upload(action, baseProperties(source).
 		Set("status", status))
 }
 
 func (c *Client) UploadCmd(ctx context.Context, action string, duration time.Duration, err error) error {
+	if c == NoopClient {
+		return nil
+	}
 	return c.upload(action, properties(ctx, err, duration))
 }
 
@@ -159,6 +175,9 @@ func writeIdentifyHash(client *Client) error {
 }
 
 func (c *Client) identifyNew() *analytics.Identify {
+	if c == NoopClient {
+		return &analytics.Identify{}
+	}
 	return &analytics.Identify{
 		UserId: c.userID,
 		Traits: addConfigTraits(c.config, traits()),
@@ -166,6 +185,9 @@ func (c *Client) identifyNew() *analytics.Identify {
 }
 
 func (c *Client) upload(action string, a analytics.Properties) error {
+	if c == NoopClient {
+		return nil
+	}
 	if c.config.Get(crcConfig.ConsentTelemetry).AsString() != "yes" {
 		return nil
 	}
diff --git a/test/e2e/features/story_openshift.feature b/test/e2e/features/story_openshift.feature
index 8d0bab8484..3419f87ac9 100644
--- a/test/e2e/features/story_openshift.feature
+++ b/test/e2e/features/story_openshift.feature
@@ -41,7 +41,7 @@ Feature: 4 Openshift stories
 		Given executing "oc new-project testproj" succeeds
 		# mirror
 		When executing "oc registry login --insecure=true" succeeds
-		Then executing "oc image mirror quay.io/centos7/httpd-24-centos7:centos7=default-route-openshift-image-registry.apps-crc.testing/testproj/hello:test --insecure=true --filter-by-os=linux/amd64" succeeds
+		Then executing "oc image mirror registry.access.redhat.com/ubi8/httpd-24:latest=default-route-openshift-image-registry.apps-crc.testing/testproj/hello:test --insecure=true --filter-by-os=linux/amd64" succeeds
 		And executing "oc set image-lookup hello" succeeds
 		# deploy
 		When executing "oc apply -f hello.yaml" succeeds
@@ -56,7 +56,7 @@ Feature: 4 Openshift stories
 	Scenario: Pull image locally, push to registry, deploy
 		Given podman command is available
 		And executing "oc new-project testproj" succeeds
-		When pulling image "quay.io/centos7/httpd-24-centos7:centos7", logging in, and pushing local image to internal registry succeeds
+		When pulling image "registry.access.redhat.com/ubi8/httpd-24:latest", logging in, and pushing local image to internal registry succeeds
 		And executing "oc apply -f hello.yaml" succeeds
 		When executing "oc rollout status deployment hello" succeeds
 		Then stdout should contain "successfully rolled out"
diff --git a/test/e2e/testsuite/testsuite.go b/test/e2e/testsuite/testsuite.go
index 400a8e3e90..75a430d735 100644
--- a/test/e2e/testsuite/testsuite.go
+++ b/test/e2e/testsuite/testsuite.go
@@ -996,7 +996,7 @@ func PullLoginTagPushImageSucceeds(image string) error {
 		return err
 	}
 
-	_, err = cmd.RunPodmanExpectSuccess("push", "default-route-openshift-image-registry.apps-crc.testing/testproj/hello:test", "--tls-verify=false")
+	_, err = cmd.RunPodmanExpectSuccess("push", "default-route-openshift-image-registry.apps-crc.testing/testproj/hello:test", "--remove-signatures", "--tls-verify=false")
 	if err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
diff --git a/test/integration/testsuite_test.go b/test/integration/testsuite_test.go
index c95ed59845..0e9ecdba1b 100644
--- a/test/integration/testsuite_test.go
+++ b/test/integration/testsuite_test.go
@@ -63,6 +63,10 @@ var _ = BeforeSuite(func() {
 	err = util.RemoveCRCConfig()
 	Expect(err).NotTo(HaveOccurred())
 
+	// start shell instance
+	err = util.StartHostShellInstance("")
+	Expect(err).NotTo(HaveOccurred())
+
 	// set credPath
 	credPath = filepath.Join(userHome, ".crc", "machines", "crc", "id_rsa")