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WinSCP/PuTTY Setup (Windows)

Prerequisite

WinSCP is an SCP client for windows implementing the SSH protocol from PuTTY.

  1. Download WinSCP.

  2. Upon startup: WinSCP login screen

  3. Add a New Site and set:

    • Enter Host Name: login.hpc.nesi.org.nz.
    • Enter your Mahuika username into the User name: field

Tip

For "file protocol" (the topmost drop-down menu), either SCP or SFTP is acceptable. If you are trying to move many small files or have a slow or flaky Internet connection, you may find that SFTP performs better than SCP. Feel free to try both and see which works best for you.

Highlighting advanced options on WinSCP login screen

  1. Open Advanced Settings.

    WinSCP advanced settings menu

  2. Navigate to Connection & Tunnel and set:

    • Enable "Connect through SSH tunnel".
    • Under "Host name:" enter lander.hpc.nesi.org.nz
    • Under "User name:" enter your username.
  3. OK > Save

Note

When logging in to the cluster using WinSCP the authentication link is clickable. You do not need to enter anything in the text box under the authentication link.

Setup for PuTTY Terminal

The default WinSCP terminal is basic. We recommend you use the PuTTY terminal instead.

  1. Download PuTTY and install.

  2. In WinSCP open 'Options > Preferences'

WinSCP preferences options

  1. Under Integration > Applications enable Remember session password and pass it to PuTTY

WinSCP setting to open in PuTTY

Setup for Xming (Optional)

Xming is an X server for Windows allowing graphical interface with the HPC. Xming can be downloaded from SourceForge.

1. Install Xming following the prompts. (Make sure 'Normal PuTTY Link SSH Client' is selected).

2. Under Integration > Applications and add -X after PuTTY/Terminal client path.

Providing path to PuTTY to WinSCP

3. Restart your session.

Prerequisite

In order for X11 forwarding to work you must have an Xming server running before connecting to Mahuika.

Usage

Files can be dragged, dropped and modified in the WinSCP GUI just like in any windows filesystem.

WinSCP directory path

PuTTY terminal icon Will open a PuTTY terminal. Assuming you followed the steps setting up PuTTY, this should automatically enter your details.

Terminal icon Will open the default WinSCP terminal. While the functionality is identical to any other terminal the interface is slightly abstracted, with a separate window for input and command history drop-down.

Directory icon Type here to change directory. The GUI doesn't follow your current terminal directory like MobaXterm so must be changed manually. (Recommend making this larger as the default is hard to type in).

Directory bookmark icon Bookmark current directory.

Troubleshooting

Repeated Authentication Prompts

By default, WinSCP will create multiple tunnels for file transfers. Occasionally this can lead to an excessive number of prompts. Limiting number of tunnels will reduce the number of times you are prompted.

  1. Open settings WinSCP settings

  2. Under 'Transfer' -> 'Background', set the 'Maximal number of transfers at the same time' to '1' and un-tick 'Use multiple connections for a single transfer'.

WinSCP reduce maximal transfers settings

Warning

Transfer Mode: There are known issues using the default Automatic transfer mode. Some files, including source code files (aka text files), can be transferred with erroneous line endings. This will cause scripts or jobs to fail. If you see extra ^M characters in your files (easily seen with the cat -v command), this means your files have been transferred incorrectly. A workaround that may work is to switch the WinSCP transfer mode to Binary

We recommend using a different file transfer client.

What Next?