diff --git a/.gitea/workflows/ci.yml b/.gitea/workflows/ci.yml
index c72f0037..a36ee815 100644
--- a/.gitea/workflows/ci.yml
+++ b/.gitea/workflows/ci.yml
@@ -78,34 +78,60 @@ jobs:
       - name: 环境自检（Python / cppcheck / pre-commit）
         shell: powershell
         run: |
+          # NOTE: keep every run: block pure ASCII. The runner writes this block
+          # to a BOM-less .ps1 executed by Windows PowerShell 5.1, which decodes
+          # it as GBK -- non-ASCII bytes there break string quoting.
           $ErrorActionPreference = 'Stop'
-          $missing = @()
-          foreach ($item in @(
-              @{ name = 'Python';      cmd = 'python' },
-              @{ name = 'cppcheck';    cmd = 'cppcheck' }
-          )) {
-            if (-not (Get-Command $item.cmd -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue)) {
-              $missing += $item.name
-            }
+
+          # --- pick a Python that actually has pre-commit -------------------
+          # The runner runs as SYSTEM, whose PATH is NOT the dev user's PATH.
+          # On this box SYSTEM's `python` is C:\msys64\...\python.exe (3.14.5,
+          # no pre-commit). Probe the same order as scripts/ci_local.py:
+          #   current interpreter -> .venv -> anaconda3
+          $repoRoot = (Get-Location).Path
+          $candidates = @(
+            (Get-Command python -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue | Select-Object -ExpandProperty Source),
+            (Join-Path $repoRoot '.venv\Scripts\python.exe'),
+            'C:\ProgramData\anaconda3\python.exe'
+          )
+          $py = $null
+          foreach ($c in $candidates) {
+            if (-not $c) { continue }
+            if (-not (Test-Path $c)) { continue }
+            & $c -m pre_commit --version *> $null
+            if ($LASTEXITCODE -eq 0) { $py = $c; break }
           }
-          if ($missing.Count -gt 0) {
-            Write-Host "::error::runner missing: $($missing -join ', ') -- install then re-run"
+          if (-not $py) {
+            Write-Host "::error::no Python with pre-commit found. Tried: $($candidates -join ' | ')"
+            exit 1
+          }
+          Write-Host "using python: $py"
+          & $py --version
+          & $py -m pre_commit --version
+          "PYTHON=$py" | Out-File -FilePath $env:GITHUB_ENV -Append
+
+          # --- cppcheck -----------------------------------------------------
+          # cppcheck is often installed with a USER-scope PATH entry, which
+          # SYSTEM cannot see. Fall back to its default install dir.
+          $cpp = Get-Command cppcheck -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue
+          if ($cpp) {
+            Write-Host "found cppcheck: $($cpp.Source)"
+          } elseif (Test-Path 'C:\Program Files\Cppcheck\cppcheck.exe') {
+            $dir = 'C:\Program Files\Cppcheck'
+            $env:Path = "$env:Path;$dir"
+            "C:\Program Files\Cppcheck" | Out-File -FilePath $env:GITHUB_PATH -Append
+            Write-Host "cppcheck not on PATH; added $dir (User-scope PATH is invisible to SYSTEM)"
+          } else {
+            Write-Host "::error::runner missing cppcheck -- install it, then re-run"
             exit 1
           }
-          python --version
           cppcheck --version
 
-          # pre-commit: use `python -m pre_commit` (does not rely on PATH console script)
-          python -m pre_commit --version
-          if ($LASTEXITCODE -ne 0) {
-            Write-Host "::error::runner missing pre-commit (pip install pre-commit)"
-            exit 1
-          }
           Write-Host "runner environment check passed"
 
       - name: 安装 pre-commit 钩子到本仓库
         shell: powershell
-        run: python -m pre_commit install --install-hooks
+        run: "& $env:PYTHON -m pre_commit install --install-hooks"
 
       - name: 决定跳过哪些钩子（Keil 依赖）
         id: skip
@@ -128,7 +154,7 @@ jobs:
           SKIP: ${{ steps.skip.outputs.value }}
         run: |
           if ($env:SKIP) { Write-Host "SKIP=$env:SKIP" }
-          python -m pre_commit run --all-files --show-diff-on-failure
+          & $env:PYTHON -m pre_commit run --all-files --show-diff-on-failure
           if ($LASTEXITCODE -ne 0) {
             Write-Host "::error::L0 static gates failed (see output above)"
             exit $LASTEXITCODE
@@ -173,6 +199,19 @@ jobs:
         if: steps.msvc.outputs.value == 'yes'
         shell: powershell
         run: |
+          # Resolve a working Python first (SYSTEM's PATH python may be unusable).
+          $repoRoot = (Get-Location).Path
+          $py = $null
+          foreach ($c in @(
+              (Get-Command python -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue | Select-Object -ExpandProperty Source),
+              (Join-Path $repoRoot '.venv\Scripts\python.exe'),
+              'C:\ProgramData\anaconda3\python.exe'
+          )) {
+            if ($c -and (Test-Path $c)) { $py = $c; break }
+          }
+          if (-not $py) { Write-Host "::error::no python found"; exit 1 }
+          Write-Host "using python: $py"
+
           # Iterate test/host/*/run_unit_test.py (each module ships its own runner via common harness)
           $runners = Get-ChildItem -Path 'test/host' -Recurse -Filter 'run_unit_test.py' |
                      Sort-Object FullName
@@ -185,7 +224,7 @@ jobs:
             Write-Host "================================"
             Write-Host "run: $($r.FullName)"
             Write-Host "================================"
-            python $r.FullName
+            & $py $r.FullName
             if ($LASTEXITCODE -ne 0) {
               Write-Host "::error::unit test failed: $($r.FullName) (exit $LASTEXITCODE)"
               $fail = 1