- 1 year ago
ssh agent on windows keep forgetting ssh key
If the SSH agent on Windows keeps forgetting your SSH key, there could be a few reasons for this behavior. Here are some troubleshooting steps you can take:
Check Agent Status:
Verify that the SSH agent is running. Open a Command Prompt or PowerShell window and run the following command to check the status:powershellssh-agent -l
If the agent is not running, start it using:
powershellssh-agent
Check Key Addition:
Make sure you've added your SSH key to the agent using thessh-add
command. Run the following command to add your key:powershellssh-add path/to/your/private/key
Key Persistence:
By default, the SSH agent on Windows does not persist keys across reboots. If you want the agent to remember your key even after a reboot, you can use thessh-pageant
utility. This utility allows you to integrate PuTTY's Pageant with the OpenSSH agent. You can find thessh-pageant
utility in the PuTTY installation directory.Startup Scripts:
If you're using the OpenSSH client included with Windows, you can create a startup script that automatically starts the SSH agent and adds your key. You can add the necessary commands to your user's startup scripts (e.g.,~/.bashrc
,~/.bash_profile
, etc.).Update Your OpenSSH Version:
If you're using the OpenSSH client from Windows, ensure that you're using a relatively recent version. Newer versions may have resolved issues related to key management and the agent.Key File Permissions:
Ensure that the permissions on your private key file are correct. The key file should only be readable by you (the owner), and not accessible by others.Antivirus or Security Software:
Some security software might interfere with the operation of the SSH agent. Check if your antivirus or security software is causing any conflicts.Environment Variables:
Make sure that the necessary environment variables (SSH_AUTH_SOCK
andSSH_AGENT_PID
) are set correctly. These variables are used to communicate with the agent.SSH Configurations:
Check if you have any SSH configurations that could be affecting the behavior of the agent. Look for settings related to key handling, agent forwarding, and agent timeouts.
If you're still facing issues after trying these steps, it might be helpful to provide more specific information about the environment you're working in (e.g., Windows version, OpenSSH version, how you start the agent, etc.), as this can aid in diagnosing the problem more accurately.