diff --git a/.appveyor.yml b/.appveyor.yml
index bf93d7a990..c21e7803a4 100644
--- a/.appveyor.yml
+++ b/.appveyor.yml
@@ -1,28 +1,29 @@
 version: '{branch}.{build}'
 skip_tags: true
-image: Previous Visual Studio 2019
+image: Visual Studio 2019
 configuration: Release
 platform: x64
 clone_depth: 5
 environment:
   PATH: 'C:\Python37-x64;C:\Python37-x64\Scripts;%PATH%'
   PYTHONUTF8: 1
-  QT_DOWNLOAD_URL: 'https://github.com/sipsorcery/qt_win_binary/releases/download/v1.6/Qt5.9.8_x64_static_vs2019.zip'
-  QT_DOWNLOAD_HASH: '9a8c6eb20967873785057fdcd329a657c7f922b0af08c5fde105cc597dd37e21'
+  QT_DOWNLOAD_URL: 'https://github.com/sipsorcery/qt_win_binary/releases/download/qt598x64_vs2019_v1681/qt598_x64_vs2019_1681.zip'
+  QT_DOWNLOAD_HASH: '00cf7327818c07d74e0b1a4464ffe987c2728b00d49d4bf333065892af0515c3'
   QT_LOCAL_PATH: 'C:\Qt5.9.8_x64_static_vs2019'
-  VCPKG_INSTALL_PATH: 'C:\tools\vcpkg\installed'
-  VCPKG_COMMIT_ID: '40230b8e3f6368dcb398d649331be878ca1e9007'
+  VCPKG_TAG: '2020.11-1'
 install:
 # Disable zmq test for now since python zmq library on Windows would cause Access violation sometimes.
 # - cmd: pip install zmq
-# Powershell block below is to install the c++ dependencies via vcpkg. The pseudo code is:
+# The powershell block below is to set up vcpkg to install the c++ dependencies. The pseudo code is:
 #    a. Checkout the vcpkg source (including port files) for the specific checkout and build the vcpkg binary,
-#    b. Install the missing packages using the vcpkg manifest.
+#    b. Append a setting to the vcpkg cmake config file to only do release builds of dependencies (skipping deubg builds saves ~5 mins).
+# Note originally this block also installed the dependencies using 'vcpkg install'. Dependencies are now installed
+# as part of the msbuild command using vcpkg mainfests.
 - ps: |
       cd c:\tools\vcpkg
       $env:GIT_REDIRECT_STDERR = '2>&1' # git is writing non-errors to STDERR when doing git pull. Send to STDOUT instead.
-      git pull origin master > $null
-      git -c advice.detachedHead=false checkout $env:VCPKG_COMMIT_ID
+      git -c advice.detachedHead=false checkout $env:VCPKG_TAG
+      git pull origin $env:VCPKG_TAG
       .\bootstrap-vcpkg.bat > $null
       Add-Content "C:\tools\vcpkg\triplets\$env:PLATFORM-windows-static.cmake" "set(VCPKG_BUILD_TYPE release)"
       cd "$env:APPVEYOR_BUILD_FOLDER"
diff --git a/build_msvc/bitcoin-qt/bitcoin-qt.vcxproj b/build_msvc/bitcoin-qt/bitcoin-qt.vcxproj
index 17cd31a52e..65ce1ee9da 100644
--- a/build_msvc/bitcoin-qt/bitcoin-qt.vcxproj
+++ b/build_msvc/bitcoin-qt/bitcoin-qt.vcxproj
@@ -56,7 +56,7 @@
     </ClCompile>
     <Link>
       <AdditionalDependencies>$(QtReleaseLibraries);%(AdditionalDependencies)</AdditionalDependencies>
-      <AdditionalOptions>/ignore:4206</AdditionalOptions>
+      <AdditionalOptions>/ignore:4206 /LTCG:OFF</AdditionalOptions>
     </Link>
     <ResourceCompile>
       <AdditionalIncludeDirectories>..\..\src;</AdditionalIncludeDirectories>
diff --git a/build_msvc/common.init.vcxproj b/build_msvc/common.init.vcxproj
index ed227519ae..9c589bccbc 100644
--- a/build_msvc/common.init.vcxproj
+++ b/build_msvc/common.init.vcxproj
@@ -4,8 +4,6 @@
 
   <PropertyGroup Label="Globals">
     <VCProjectVersion>16.0</VCProjectVersion>
-    <VcpkgTriplet Condition="'$(Platform)'=='Win32'">x86-windows-static</VcpkgTriplet>
-    <VcpkgTriplet Condition="'$(Platform)'=='x64'">x64-windows-static</VcpkgTriplet>
     <UseNativeEnvironment>true</UseNativeEnvironment>
    </PropertyGroup>
 
@@ -16,6 +14,8 @@
     <VcpkgUseStatic>true</VcpkgUseStatic>
     <VcpkgAutoLink>true</VcpkgAutoLink>
     <VcpkgConfiguration>$(Configuration)</VcpkgConfiguration>
+    <VcpkgTriplet Condition="'$(Platform)'=='Win32'">x86-windows-static</VcpkgTriplet>
+    <VcpkgTriplet Condition="'$(Platform)'=='x64'">x64-windows-static</VcpkgTriplet>
   </PropertyGroup>
 
   <PropertyGroup Condition="'$(WindowsTargetPlatformVersion)'=='' and !Exists('$(WindowsSdkDir)\DesignTime\CommonConfiguration\Neutral\Windows.props')">
@@ -45,66 +45,46 @@
     </ProjectConfiguration>
   </ItemGroup>
 
-  <PropertyGroup Condition="'$(Configuration)'=='Debug'" Label="Configuration">
-    <LinkIncremental>true</LinkIncremental>
-    <WholeProgramOptimization>false</WholeProgramOptimization>
-    <UseDebugLibraries>true</UseDebugLibraries>
+  <PropertyGroup Condition="'$(Configuration)'=='Release'" Label="Configuration">
+    <LinkIncremental>false</LinkIncremental>
+    <UseDebugLibraries>false</UseDebugLibraries>
     <PlatformToolset>v142</PlatformToolset>
     <CharacterSet>Unicode</CharacterSet>
+    <GenerateManifest>No</GenerateManifest>
     <OutDir>$(SolutionDir)$(Platform)\$(Configuration)\$(ProjectName)\</OutDir>
     <IntDir>$(Platform)\$(Configuration)\$(ProjectName)\</IntDir>
   </PropertyGroup>
-  <PropertyGroup Condition="'$(Configuration)'=='Release'" Label="Configuration">
-    <LinkIncremental>false</LinkIncremental>
-    <WholeProgramOptimization>true</WholeProgramOptimization>
-    <UseDebugLibraries>false</UseDebugLibraries>
+
+  <PropertyGroup Condition="'$(Configuration)'=='Debug'" Label="Configuration">
+    <LinkIncremental>true</LinkIncremental>
+    <UseDebugLibraries>true</UseDebugLibraries>
     <PlatformToolset>v142</PlatformToolset>
     <CharacterSet>Unicode</CharacterSet>
     <OutDir>$(SolutionDir)$(Platform)\$(Configuration)\$(ProjectName)\</OutDir>
     <IntDir>$(Platform)\$(Configuration)\$(ProjectName)\</IntDir>
   </PropertyGroup>
 
-<ItemDefinitionGroup Condition="'$(Configuration)|$(Platform)'=='Release|x64'">
-    <ClCompile>
-      <Optimization>MaxSpeed</Optimization>
-      <FunctionLevelLinking>true</FunctionLevelLinking>
-      <IntrinsicFunctions>true</IntrinsicFunctions>
-      <SDLCheck>true</SDLCheck>
-      <RuntimeLibrary>MultiThreaded</RuntimeLibrary>
-    </ClCompile>
-    <Link>
-      <EnableCOMDATFolding>true</EnableCOMDATFolding>
-      <OptimizeReferences>true</OptimizeReferences>
-    </Link>
-  </ItemDefinitionGroup>
-
-  <ItemDefinitionGroup Condition="'$(Configuration)|$(Platform)'=='Debug|x64'">
+<ItemDefinitionGroup Condition="'$(Configuration)'=='Release'">
     <ClCompile>
       <Optimization>Disabled</Optimization>
-      <PreprocessorDefinitions>_DEBUG;%(PreprocessorDefinitions)</PreprocessorDefinitions>
-      <SDLCheck>true</SDLCheck>
-      <RuntimeLibrary>MultiThreadedDebug</RuntimeLibrary>
-      <AdditionalOptions>/bigobj %(AdditionalOptions)</AdditionalOptions>
-    </ClCompile>
-  </ItemDefinitionGroup>
-
-  <ItemDefinitionGroup Condition="'$(Configuration)|$(Platform)'=='Release|Win32'">
-    <ClCompile>
-      <Optimization>MaxSpeed</Optimization>
+      <WholeProgramOptimization>false</WholeProgramOptimization>
       <FunctionLevelLinking>true</FunctionLevelLinking>
       <IntrinsicFunctions>true</IntrinsicFunctions>
       <SDLCheck>true</SDLCheck>
       <RuntimeLibrary>MultiThreaded</RuntimeLibrary>
+      <DebugInformationFormat>None</DebugInformationFormat>
     </ClCompile>
     <Link>
-      <EnableCOMDATFolding>true</EnableCOMDATFolding>
-      <OptimizeReferences>true</OptimizeReferences>
+      <EnableCOMDATFolding>false</EnableCOMDATFolding>
+      <OptimizeReferences>false</OptimizeReferences>
+      <AdditionalOptions>/LTCG:OFF</AdditionalOptions>
     </Link>
   </ItemDefinitionGroup>
 
-  <ItemDefinitionGroup Condition="'$(Configuration)|$(Platform)'=='Debug|Win32'">
+  <ItemDefinitionGroup Condition="'$(Configuration)'=='Debug'">
     <ClCompile>
       <Optimization>Disabled</Optimization>
+      <WholeProgramOptimization>false</WholeProgramOptimization>
       <PreprocessorDefinitions>_DEBUG;%(PreprocessorDefinitions)</PreprocessorDefinitions>
       <SDLCheck>true</SDLCheck>
       <RuntimeLibrary>MultiThreadedDebug</RuntimeLibrary>
@@ -124,7 +104,6 @@
     </ClCompile>
     <Link>
       <SubSystem>Console</SubSystem>
-      <GenerateDebugInformation>true</GenerateDebugInformation>
       <AdditionalDependencies>Iphlpapi.lib;ws2_32.lib;Shlwapi.lib;kernel32.lib;user32.lib;gdi32.lib;comdlg32.lib;advapi32.lib;shell32.lib;ole32.lib;oleaut32.lib;uuid.lib;odbc32.lib;odbccp32.lib;%(AdditionalDependencies)</AdditionalDependencies>
     </Link>
     <Lib>
diff --git a/build_msvc/common.vcxproj b/build_msvc/common.vcxproj
index 4bbcc3767f..270c75e8a7 100644
--- a/build_msvc/common.vcxproj
+++ b/build_msvc/common.vcxproj
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@
   <Target Name="CopyBuildArtifacts" Condition="'$(ConfigurationType)' != 'StaticLibrary'">
     <ItemGroup>
       <BuildArtifacts Include="$(OutDir)$(TargetName)$(TargetExt)"></BuildArtifacts>
-      <BuildArtifacts Include="$(OutDir)$(TargetName).pdb"></BuildArtifacts>
+      <BuildArtifacts Include="$(OutDir)$(TargetName).pdb" Condition="Exists('$(OutDir)$(TargetName).pdb')"></BuildArtifacts>
     </ItemGroup>
     <Copy SourceFiles="@(BuildArtifacts)" SkipUnchangedFiles="true" DestinationFolder="..\..\src\" Condition="'$(OutDir)' != ''"></Copy>
   </Target>
diff --git a/build_msvc/test_bitcoin-qt/test_bitcoin-qt.vcxproj b/build_msvc/test_bitcoin-qt/test_bitcoin-qt.vcxproj
index 2095c0c321..1ddd62edf2 100644
--- a/build_msvc/test_bitcoin-qt/test_bitcoin-qt.vcxproj
+++ b/build_msvc/test_bitcoin-qt/test_bitcoin-qt.vcxproj
@@ -73,7 +73,7 @@
     </ClCompile>
     <Link>
       <AdditionalDependencies>$(QtLibraryDir)\Qt5Test.lib;$(QtReleaseLibraries);%(AdditionalDependencies)</AdditionalDependencies>
-	  <AdditionalOptions>/ignore:4206</AdditionalOptions>
+      <AdditionalOptions>/ignore:4206 /LTCG:OFF</AdditionalOptions>
     </Link>
   </ItemDefinitionGroup>
 
@@ -83,7 +83,7 @@
     </ClCompile>
     <Link>
       <AdditionalDependencies>$(QtDebugLibraries);%(AdditionalDependencies)</AdditionalDependencies>
-	  <AdditionalOptions>/ignore:4206</AdditionalOptions>
+      <AdditionalOptions>/ignore:4206</AdditionalOptions>
     </Link>
   </ItemDefinitionGroup>
   <ItemGroup>