OpenSSH on Windows - "XXX Could not save your public key in PROGRAMDATA

Question

I am trying to install OpenSSH on a Windows Server (2012 R2 standard) and I have been following the instructions at this locataion: https://www.server-world.info/en/note?os=Windows_Server_2012&p=openssh

I ran Powershell as Administrator and all seems to install correctly up to the part where I try to generate the SSH host-key by running the command .\ssh-keygen.exe -A (step 7 of the instructions). After running this it returns an error saying:

RSA Could not save your public key in __PROGRAMDATA__\\ssh/ssh_host_rsa_key.9uX3wf3apv: No Such file of directory"

The same error also displays for DSA, ECDSA and ED25519.

Screenshot of errors

If anyone can tell me where I am going wrong here it would be appreciated. I've searched the web and not found any other references to this.

score 80 · Answer 1 · edited Oct 02 '19 at 19:53

80

The __PROGRAMDATA__ refers to your environment variable PROGRAMDATA (Which probably is set to C:\ProgramData).

It is usually easiest to open an cmd command prompt and type

mkdir %PROGRAMDATA%\ssh

or powershell

mkdir $env:ProgramData\ssh

and then rerun the

.\ssh-keygen.exe -A

edited Oct 02 '19 at 19:53

Carlos del Rio

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answered Aug 28 '18 at 12:33

Anthon

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that did it for me. – arcee123 Jan 02 '20 at 00:40
This is the correct answer. Can anyone mark it? – needfulthing Mar 30 '21 at 12:03
@needfulthing The OP was last seen 2.5 years ago and only has reputation from this answer. It is unlikely an answer will ever be accepted. – Anthon Mar 30 '21 at 13:59
I thought maybe some admin / forum operator can do this. – needfulthing Apr 01 '21 at 11:53

score 33 · Answer 2 · answered Jul 19 '18 at 13:45

33

I got the same error but when I manually added a folder under programdata called SSH and then ran the command again it seemed to work

answered Jul 19 '18 at 13:45

Scott Coats

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This fixed my issue when I was trying it on Windows Server 2012R2, thanks! :) – Christian Wilkie Aug 15 '18 at 18:15
Same fix required on Windows Server 2016 – wintondeshong Apr 22 '21 at 13:42

score 2 · Answer 3 · edited Feb 05 '19 at 05:54

2

You have to do this from an cmd prompt as powershell messes up the ProgramData variable.

Do this

C:\Program Files\OpenSSH-Win64>powershell .\install-sshd.ps1 -A

from a command prompt and you will probably be good to go.

edited Feb 05 '19 at 05:54

Anthon

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answered Nov 02 '18 at 16:46

Espen Fossheim

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"mkdir $env:ProgramData\ssh" in an Administrator Powershell worked fine for me. – needfulthing Mar 30 '21 at 15:54

Carlos del Rio · Answer 4 · 2019-10-02T21:41:42.073

If you want, you can run it as administrator. This will give ssh-keygen.exe all the rights it needs to create files on its own.

runas.exe /noprofile /user:Administrator .\ssh-keygen.exe

This will install the keys under C:\Users\Administrator.ssh

If you want the keys to be accessible to your current user or another user just run Powershell as that user by right clicking on it and clicking Run as Different User.

You do not want to be in an elevated Powershell when you generate keys

OpenSSH runs from the current user and checks their C:\Users\UserName.ssh. Similar to how SSH works in Linux.

OpenSSH on Windows - "XXX Could not save your public key in __PROGRAMDATA__

4 Answers4

OpenSSH on Windows - "XXX Could not save your public key in PROGRAMDATA