Crashed server, trying to get WinSCP to work, network connection error

Posted by linkuphost@reddit | sysadmin | View on Reddit | 26 comments

Hello, I am in a desperate situation as I am unable to make a network connection with the server. I can use another SFTP app, I can ping, but I can't get WinSCP to connect. I really need the ability to use WinSCP's explorer style ability to download to Windows folders.
I have checked through all the troubleshooting steps I could find:

I know the IP is correct, as is the port
I know SFTP is the correct protocol
I expanded the timeout parameter
I disabled the firewall

The server is a CentOS/cPanel server, but since it won't boot, support set up a rescue disk that runs Debian 9. I used WinSCP ages ago and love the product. It is also the product that support suggested I use, but they won't help me getting it to work.

Have also asked for help on the WinSCP site, haven't heard back.

Thanks,

Lew

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johnnysoj@reddit

What happens? What kind of error message do you get?

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linkuphost@reddit (OP)

Network connection timeout with WinSCP although the same IP, port, and login work fine with Terminus, but have been unable to do what is needed to map the Windows folder to download into.

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johnnysoj@reddit

Silly question, is your application/windows firewall blocking winscp for some reason?

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Adam_Kearn@reddit

Have you allowed SCP/SSH on the firewall.

And on the interface in the config file set it to 0.0.0.0 instead of 127.0.0.1

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SevaraB@reddit

Are you doing SFTP over SSH? Betcha lunch that it’s a TLS configuration issue where the other SFTP client has support for a different SSL/TLS cipher turned on (don’t ask me how many times I’ve had to turn on 3DES temporarily to connect to a really old, decrepit device that only has pre-TLS 1.2 ciphers).

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linkuphost@reddit (OP)

What is interesting is that the host tech was able to log in with WinSCP although I couldn't. They have just offered to backup all of the files for me and give me links for them...hurrah.

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SevaraB@reddit

Which is what I was getting at. A while back, I routinely needed to turn on 3DES in PuTTY to connect to Cisco Catalyst 4500 switches because AES was export-controlled as “advanced encryption” when the Cat4500s were sold, and companies weren’t paying extra for the advanced encryption license and then wondering why enforcing TLS 1.2 everywhere broke all remote connectivity to those switches.

I can recover out of situations like that, but that’s because my expertise is in HTTPS and particularly TLS handshaking since I manage web proxies all the time.

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jspears357@reddit

Ask what specific version of winscp they are using, download that version or an older one and try it. Things change over years.

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Justinsaccount@reddit

I can use another SFTP app

Great, so there's nothing wrong with the server. Sounds like you have a working client and you should use it. You know any sftp client can "download to windows folders", right?

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linkuphost@reddit (OP)

The server won't boot, stuck in a boot loop. Despite days of trying, the hosting company has been unable to get the downloads to work. This isn't just a "me" thing. If the server support group can't get it to work, it isn't a me thing.

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Justinsaccount@reddit

I don't understand your level of confusion here if you have been doing this for 30 years as you claim.

The server won't boot

The server is booted off a rescue CD, as you stated.

the hosting company has been unable to get the downloads to work

It is not the responsibility of the hosting company to "get the downloads to work". They have booted the server off the rescue CD. As you claim, you can login to it:

I can connect with a program called Terminus just fin

login work fine with Terminus, but have been unable to do what is needed to map the Windows folder to download into.

Your insistence that you use winscp, despite not knowing how to use it, and your inability to run a trivial scp or rsync command is very much a "you" problem. Somehow you have spent days trying to use winscp, which never included the most basic troubleshooting step of "looking at the log". You could have simply asked one of the many available LLMs to give you a working command and solved your problem in 30 seconds.

❯ claude -p 'i need to copy all files out of the home directory off a remote linux host with ip 1.2.3.4 and port 2222. what is the rsync or scp command i should use'
**rsync** (preferred — resumable, shows progress):

  rsync -avz -e "ssh -p 2222" user@1.2.3.4:~/ ./remote-home/

**scp** (simpler):

  scp -P 2222 -r user@1.2.3.4:~/ ./remote-home/


Replace `user` with the actual username. Key differences:
- `-P` (capital) for scp, `-p` (lowercase) for ssh/rsync
- `rsync` is better for large transfers — it can resume if interrupted and skips already-copied files on re-runs
- Add `--exclude='.cache'` etc. to rsync if you want to skip large/unnecessary dirs⏎

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redwing88@reddit

Since you have terminal access just setup a FTP/SFTP on a different system and use the SCP command on the terminal of the rescue server to get your files out.

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orev@reddit

When starting the connection in WinSCP, try selecting SCP as the protocol instead of SFTP. SCP is an older protocol and might work if the SFTP subsystem isn't available.

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linkuphost@reddit (OP)

Actually, I tried that too....WinSCP wouldn't connect no matter what protocol I tried. Fortunately, the host is going to copy "home" for me. thanks

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Fit_Prize_3245@reddit

If the server doesn't boots, there is no OS loaded, thus no protocol or app will get you to connect to the server.

Maybe what you mean is that your provider has, on that or another server, put it in some sort of recovery mode in which you were able to get the files via SFTP. But you would have to ask your provider to put thgat server in that recovery mode.

BTW, there are many more SFTP clients available for Windows. A common one is FileZilla, which is free. Another free, less known alternative, but really good is Bitvise SSH Client, which not only includes SFTP, but also full SSH capabilities, including console, port forwardings, and more. There is also Solar-PuTTY, which is an enhanced version of classical PuTTY with graphical SFTP transfer. And also, my current-day personal favourite, and half of the reason I no longer use Bitvise SSH Client (the other half is WSL), but this is a paid software: Directory Opus, with the "Advanced FTP" option.

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linkuphost@reddit (OP)

The server is running on a Debian-based rescue disk. I can connect with a program called Terminus just fine, and can issue commands, but no amount of trying has come up with the proper SCP command to download the files. That is why I was trying to use WinSCP that the hosting company suggested as it has a nice Windows Explorer interface I used to use years ago. I have been hosting with cPanel since 1996, but never had to deal with a server running on a rescue CD.

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Fit_Prize_3245@reddit

What exact error do you get?

Also, try with Bitvise SSH Client, or Filezilla.

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linkuphost@reddit (OP)

Two different issues. I am able to log into the rescue disk with Terminus, but not WinSCP. Secondly, neither the host or I have come up with the right SCP syntax to download with.

Thankfully the host is going to copy the home directory for me and make the files accessible.

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Sad_School828@reddit

If you're using cPanel, do you even know wtf you're doing? Can you SSH into the server in terminal mode?

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linkuphost@reddit (OP)

It is a broken cPanel server,i.e. the server's CentOS won't boot. That is why it was booted into a rescue CD running Debian.

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Sad_School828@reddit

So you're using a VPS provider which claims to provide CentOS but factually doesn't. Find another VPS provider FFS. Were you born just yesterday or what? Fell off the turnip truck and posted on Reddit?

I mean I read your OP FFS. I clearly understood it very well. I asked you a straight question which you chose not to answer.

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linkuphost@reddit (OP)

I did answer you question, "Yes, I can access in terminal mode, but nothing I have tried has been able to download the domains." Your other question was an insult and didn't deserve an answer. Do you think swearing at people who are in need is a proper thing to do? I have been running cPanel servers since 1996, and a user of them WAY before that.

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linkuphost@reddit (OP)

They also provide VPS service, but I have a dedicated server. The server WAS running on CentOS, but the rescue CD booted into Debian. I was a senior networking consultant for many years, bu that was ages ago, primarily doing Netware support. I have been in computers since 1969 when they were called an abacus. Although I have over 40 years in the business, I am not proficient with Linux because I haven't supported it.

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Darkhexical@reddit

There's different kinds of things encryption protocols for ftp. If your program doesn't support those you won't be able to get in. This could be your issue. Look at the settings of your working app and then translate that to your non-working app.

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linkuphost@reddit (OP)

I did that again and again...same IP, same port, same protocol, same everything that I can tell. No idea why it is failing for me. Luckily, the host has said they will back up the home directory for me....yaaaa

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BadgeOfDishonour@reddit

If you can get another SFTP application to connect, then you have already resolved the issue. If WinSCP is a mandatory requirement here, it is likely that you've configured WinSCP incorrectly. WinSCP isn't special, and if another SFTP application can make the connection, there is no reason for WinSCP to fail except local configuration problems.

I am dubious that the other SFTP program is connecting. I would be verifying connectivity via netcat or telnet on the expected ports. Always confirm the basics. "I know" does not replace "I've tested".