Server not recognizing "simple@putty.projects.tartarus.org"

I've been using WinSCP without issue for quite a while now, but recently we tried to connect to a host running a very old (approx 10+ years old according to my research) openssh server. This is probably a bad idea on their part, but we can't get them to change it.

I'm running WinSCP 5.1.4 (build 3020), and it doesn't matter how I connect to this server: scripted, com/.net library, manually, I always get this.

I saved a log, and this seems to be the relevent portion:

. 2013-04-02 10:49:37.082 Disconnection message text: Unsupported request (simple@putty.projects.tartarus.org).
. 2013-04-02 10:49:37.082 Selecting events 0 for socket 764
. 2013-04-02 10:49:37.082 Server sent disconnect message
. 2013-04-02 10:49:37.082 type 7 (service not available):
. 2013-04-02 10:49:37.082 "Unsupported request (simple@putty.projects.tartarus.org)."
* 2013-04-02 10:49:37.121 (EFatal) Server sent disconnect message
* 2013-04-02 10:49:37.121 type 7 (service not available):
* 2013-04-02 10:49:37.121 "Unsupported request (simple@putty.projects.tartarus.org)."
* 2013-04-02 10:49:37.121 Authentication log (see session log for details):

From my understanding simple@putty.projects.tartarus.org is a special channel type that was created by the putty developer(s) and most servers, when they fail to recognize this simply ignore it. In this case, I'm immediately disconnected.

Is there a way to prevent WinSCP from requesting this channel? Nothing I have tried so far has made any difference.

Thank you very much

You can prevent WinSCP from sending the request by setting SshSimple session option to 0.

In scripting/.NET you can set it as raw settings:
https://winscp.net/eng/docs/rawsettings

For GUI, you need to edit the stored session manually in the registry/INI file.

That absolutely did it! Thank you so much for you help on this, WinSCP has been invaluable.

martin wrote:

You can prevent WinSCP from sending the request by setting SshSimple session option to 0.

In scripting/.NET you can set it as raw settings:
https://winscp.net/eng/docs/rawsettings

For GUI, you need to edit the stored session manually in the registry/INI file.

Hi,

I am running the latest WinSCP and is also experiencing the same problem but only intermittently. Any idea what would trigger the sending of 'simple@putty.projects.tartarus.org'?

Furthermore, I am running WinSCP with a script and using an INI file for settings. Can I specify SshSimple=0 in the INI file and if yes, under which section? I tried to put it under [Session/Session] but without any success e.g. the Simple channel: Yes in the log file.

Tom

zekor wrote:

I am running the latest WinSCP and is also experiencing the same problem but only intermittently. Any idea what would trigger the sending of 'simple@putty.projects.tartarus.org'?

It's sent unconditionally.

Furthermore, I am running WinSCP with a script and using an INI file for settings.

What settings? Are you opening a stored site? What's your open command like?

martin wrote:

zekor wrote:

I am running the latest WinSCP and is also experiencing the same problem but only intermittently. Any idea what would trigger the sending of 'simple@putty.projects.tartarus.org'?

It's sent unconditionally.

Furthermore, I am running WinSCP with a script and using an INI file for settings.

What settings? Are you opening a stored site? What's your open command like?

Hi Martin,

Many thanks for your prompt reply. The way we use WinSCP is to generate a script file with the application first and then run WinSCP with the option of /script=<script file name>. And within the script file, we open the channel using:

open sftp://xxxxxxxxx -hostkey=yyyyyyyyy

I can switch off the Simple Channel by using the following command:

open sftp://xxxxxxxxx -hostkey=yyyyyyyyy -rawsettings SshSimple=0

However, I would like to know if it is possible to turn off the Simple Channel by specifying this from within an INI file e.g. without specifying in the open command -rawsettings SshSimple=0 and replying on the setting in the INI file. And if it is possible, how is it specified in the INI file?

Kind regards,

Tom

zekor wrote:

However, I would like to know if it is possible to turn off the Simple Channel by specifying this from within an INI file e.g. without specifying in the open command -rawsettings SshSimple=0 and replying on the setting in the INI file. And if it is possible, how is it specified in the INI file?

Why? Your current way is the best way.

Anyway, you can preconfigure a stored site in the GUI.

And then you can apply the SshSimple=0 to the stored site using:
winscp.exe /batchsettings <site_name> SshSimple=0
https://winscp.net/eng/docs/commandline#batchsettings

And then you can open the site in script using open <site_name>.

martin wrote:

zekor wrote:

However, I would like to know if it is possible to turn off the Simple Channel by specifying this from within an INI file e.g. without specifying in the open command -rawsettings SshSimple=0 and replying on the setting in the INI file. And if it is possible, how is it specified in the INI file?

Why? Your current way is the best way.

Anyway, you can preconfigure a stored site in the GUI.

And then you can apply the SshSimple=0 to the stored site using:
winscp.exe /batchsettings <site_name> SshSimple=0
https://winscp.net/eng/docs/commandline#batchsettings

And then you can open the site in script using open <site_name>.

Thanks for your advise on this. I think I will stick with the original connection mechanism.

Kind regards,

Tom