Cannot initialize SFTP protocol. Is the host running a SFTP

Hi,

I'm having problems logging in for the first time:

The log is:

. 2006-02-09 13:59:00.828 Looking up host "99.99.99.99"
. 2006-02-09 13:59:00.828 Connecting to 99.99.99.99 port 22
. 2006-02-09 13:59:00.937 Server version: SSH-1.99-OpenSSH_3.6.1p2
. 2006-02-09 13:59:00.937 We claim version: SSH-2.0-WinSCP_release_3.8
. 2006-02-09 13:59:00.937 Using SSH protocol version 2
. 2006-02-09 13:59:01.000 Doing Diffie-Hellman group exchange
. 2006-02-09 13:59:01.156 Doing Diffie-Hellman key exchange
. 2006-02-09 13:59:02.000 Host key fingerprint is:
. 2006-02-09 13:59:02.000 ssh-rsa 1024 30:ef:42:c8:2f:ea:80:03:be:60:c0:f9:0a:b1:5c:d1
. 2006-02-09 13:59:02.000 Initialised AES-256 client->server encryption
. 2006-02-09 13:59:02.000 Initialised HMAC-SHA1 client->server MAC algorithm
. 2006-02-09 13:59:02.000 Initialised AES-256 server->client encryption
. 2006-02-09 13:59:02.000 Initialised HMAC-SHA1 server->client MAC algorithm
! 2006-02-09 13:59:02.140 Using username "userid".
. 2006-02-09 13:59:02.265 Keyboard-interactive authentication refused
. 2006-02-09 13:59:02.265 Session password prompt (userid@99.99.99.99's password: )
. 2006-02-09 13:59:02.265 Asking user for password.
. 2006-02-09 13:59:18.031 Sent password
. 2006-02-09 13:59:18.109 Access granted
. 2006-02-09 13:59:18.156 Opened channel for session
. 2006-02-09 13:59:18.218 Started a shell/command
. 2006-02-09 13:59:18.218 Server sent command exit status 1
. 2006-02-09 13:59:18.218 --------------------------------------------------------------------------
. 2006-02-09 13:59:18.218 Using SFTP protocol.
. 2006-02-09 13:59:18.218 Doing startup conversation with host.
> 2006-02-09 13:59:18.218 Type: SSH_FXP_INIT, Size: 5, Number: -1
. 2006-02-09 13:59:18.281 All channels closed. Disconnecting
. 2006-02-09 13:59:18.281 Server closed network connection
* 2006-02-09 13:59:18.281 (ESshFatal) Cannot initialize SFTP protocol. Is the host running a SFTP server?
* 2006-02-09 13:59:18.281 Connection has been unexpectedly closed. Server sent command exit status 1.


Any help is appreciated.

regards
David J.

Try other SFTP client. If you still cannot connect, it's server-side problem.

Hi,

Just tried with just SFTP.

Got the same error.

It does connect to the server.

What do u think could be the problem on the server.

Thanks for your help.

dj

You may not have shell access. Or the SSH server cannot find/start the SFTP server.

Please read documentation for common reasons of getting this error and some resolution hints.

My son has an scponlyc "shell" login on one of my servers.

He started to get this error:
"Cannot initialize SFTP protocol. Is the host running a SFTP server?"

He was trying to connect using WinSCP ....

The problem was that the chroot home directory wasn't owned by root, so the login failed. I fixed this and made sure his group could write to the directory, but it is now owned by root.

martin wrote:

Try other SFTP client. If you still cannot connect, it's server-side problem.

LOL!!!
If the mistake is not on your site, its maybe on the other

weisenheimer :p

I received same message, I realized my password was about to expire. I reset password, and then was able to connect.

Hi all,

I have the same error in my server.
In the first time I get the error message, In the second time I get the access.
I'm using with this connection MySecureShell to be able to lock the user in his HOMEDIR.

Some one have a clue about this error?

I change in "Session"-"File protocol" to "SCP"
and in "Enviroment"-"SCP/Shell"-"Shell" to "/bin/sh"

This is help me with OpenFiler Linux Distributive.

Hello!

Please check the .profile, .bash_history, .bash_logout and .bashrc

They should have 755 permission - I changed these permission to 700 and started getting that same error.

metal wrote:

Hello!

Please check the .profile, .bash_history, .bash_logout and .bashrc

They should have 755 permission - I changed these permission to 700 and started getting that same error.

Oh my gosh! Thanks a lot.

I've been wondering for a long time why I keep getting this message all of a sudden. Could have never figured that it would be a permission setting on a .bashrc file.

For details about error message "Cannot initialize SFTP protocol. Is the host running a SFTP server?" see:
https://winscp.net/eng/docs/message_cannot_initialize_sftp_protocol

Change the ForceCommand line in /etc/ssh/sshd_config to:

"ForceCommand internal-sftp"

I copied the old versions of rssh_chroot_helper and sftp-server in to the chroot folder /usr/libexec and this sorted the issue out.

Anonymous wrote:

Change the ForceCommand line in /etc/ssh/sshd_config to:

"ForceCommand internal-sftp"

This helped!
Thanks a lot

for me the problem was that i was echoing text to the screen in .bashrc.
as soon as i removed this it worked.

I was getting this error because my password expired. I reseted my password using Putty and worked.

IvanSP wrote:

I was getting this error because my password expired. I reseted my password using Putty and worked.

Thanks for sharing this.
You would actually find this resolution, if you follow link to "Server unexpectedly closed network connection" from:
https://winscp.net/eng/docs/message_cannot_initialize_sftp_protocol

David Docekal wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Change the ForceCommand line in /etc/ssh/sshd_config to:

"ForceCommand internal-sftp"

This helped!
Thanks a lot

For me too after days of trying out different file configs! Awesome!

Anonymous wrote:

metal wrote:

Hello!

Please check the .profile, .bash_history, .bash_logout and .bashrc

They should have 755 permission - I changed these permission to 700 and started getting that same error.

Oh my gosh! Thanks a lot.

I've been wondering for a long time why I keep getting this message all of a sudden. Could have never figured that it would be a permission setting on a .bashrc file.

This worked for me too! THanks for the tip!

I got this error but then change my SFTP version down from 5 to 3 then it worked...

I got this error but then changed my SFTP version down from 5 to 3 then it worked...

NoviceInTech wrote:

I got this error but then changed my SFTP version down from 5 to 3 then it worked...

Thanks for your report. What SFTP server are you connecting to?

Hey Guys I Have got a problem with SFTP... if im just use bitvise and proxyfire its not workin but i use Tunnel its workin so how can i make this cause SFTP channel clsed by server if i use just bitvise and proxyfire... im try for use bluestcak cause i dont have idea for use tunneling fr blustack...
thx before... :)

ITHo wrote:

Hey Guys I Have got a problem with SFTP... if im just use bitvise and proxyfire its not workin but i use Tunnel its workin so how can i make this cause SFTP channel clsed by server if i use just bitvise and proxyfire... im try for use bluestcak cause i dont have idea for use tunneling fr blustack...
thx before... :)

Sorry, your post does not include enough information.

Please read how to troubleshoot problems with WinSCP. If it turns out that you are not able to help yourself, read how to ask for support or report bugs efficiently, so others can help you.

Also please start a new thread for your problem.

Hi all,
I faced this error, it was due to my password was expired, When I tried to login to terminal console using putty it asked me to reset the password. After resetting password I am able to log in using WinSCP.

Thanks,
Raju Balpande.

Can you connect with any other SFTP client? Did you contact a server administrator?

This works for me excellent

Posted: 19 Jan 2011 08:47
PostWinSCP: File protocol & Shell
[Reply with quote]
I change in "Session"-"File protocol" to "SCP"
and in "Enviroment"-"SCP/Shell"-"Shell" to "/bin/sh"

This is help me with OpenFiler Linux Distributive.

your password might be expired. Log in to putty using the same credentials and change the password

try this:
usermod -s /bin/bash test %change test with your ftp/sftp username