Conn unexpectedly closed. Server sent cmd exit status 1

If possible can someone please help me with openSSH/WinSCP? (I'm new to the OpenSSH env)

I have installed OpenSSH on a windows 2003 server and are trying to connect from WinSCP to the Windows server 2003.

I get the following error from WinSCP: Connection has been unexpectedly closed. Server sent command exit status 1. What does this mean? Please help Urgent project to complete.

The OpenSSH Debug file relates to the following:


C:\Program Files\OpenSSH\usr\sbin>sshd -d -d -d
debug2: read_server_config: filename /etc/sshd_config
debug1: sshd version OpenSSH_3.8.1p1
debug3: Not a RSA1 key file /etc/ssh_host_rsa_key.
debug1: read PEM private key done: type RSA
debug1: private host key: #0 type 1 RSA
debug3: Not a RSA1 key file /etc/ssh_host_dsa_key.
debug1: read PEM private key done: type DSA
debug1: private host key: #1 type 2 DSA
debug1: Bind to port 22 on 0.0.0.0.
Server listening on 0.0.0.0 port 22.
debug1: Server will not fork when running in debugging mode.
Connection from 10.231.244.37 port 2305
debug1: Client protocol version 2.0; client software version WinSCP_releas
6
debug1: no match: WinSCP_release_3.7.6
debug1: Enabling compatibility mode for protocol 2.0
debug1: Local version string SSH-2.0-OpenSSH_3.8.1p1
debug1: list_hostkey_types: ssh-rsa,ssh-dss
debug1: SSH2_MSG_KEXINIT sent
debug1: SSH2_MSG_KEXINIT received
debug2: kex_parse_kexinit: diffie-hellman-group-exchange-sha1,diffie-hellm
up1-sha1
debug2: kex_parse_kexinit: ssh-rsa,ssh-dss
debug2: kex_parse_kexinit: aes128-cbc,3des-cbc,blowfish-cbc,cast128-cbc,ar
aes192-cbc,aes256-cbc,rijndael-cbc@lysator.liu.se,aes128-ctr,aes192-ctr,ae
tr
debug2: kex_parse_kexinit: aes128-cbc,3des-cbc,blowfish-cbc,cast128-cbc,ar
aes192-cbc,aes256-cbc,rijndael-cbc@lysator.liu.se,aes128-ctr,aes192-ctr,ae
tr
debug2: kex_parse_kexinit: hmac-md5,hmac-sha1,hmac-ripemd160,hmac-ripemd16
ssh.com,hmac-sha1-96,hmac-md5-96
debug2: kex_parse_kexinit: hmac-md5,hmac-sha1,hmac-ripemd160,hmac-ripemd16
ssh.com,hmac-sha1-96,hmac-md5-96
debug2: kex_parse_kexinit: none,zlib
debug2: kex_parse_kexinit: none,zlib
debug2: kex_parse_kexinit:
debug2: kex_parse_kexinit:
debug2: kex_parse_kexinit: first_kex_follows 0
debug2: kex_parse_kexinit: reserved 0
debug2: kex_parse_kexinit: diffie-hellman-group-exchange-sha1,diffie-hellm
up14-sha1,diffie-hellman-group1-sha1
debug2: kex_parse_kexinit: ssh-rsa,ssh-dss
debug2: kex_parse_kexinit: aes256-cbc,rijndael256-cbc,rijndael-cbc@lysator
e,aes192-cbc,rijndael192-cbc,aes128-cbc,rijndael128-cbc,blowfish-cbc,3des-
debug2: kex_parse_kexinit: aes256-cbc,rijndael256-cbc,rijndael-cbc@lysator
e,aes192-cbc,rijndael192-cbc,aes128-cbc,rijndael128-cbc,blowfish-cbc,3des-
debug2: kex_parse_kexinit: hmac-sha1,hmac-md5,none
debug2: kex_parse_kexinit: hmac-sha1,hmac-md5,none
debug2: kex_parse_kexinit: none,zlib
debug2: kex_parse_kexinit: none,zlib
debug2: kex_parse_kexinit:
debug2: kex_parse_kexinit:
debug2: kex_parse_kexinit: first_kex_follows 0
debug2: kex_parse_kexinit: reserved 0
debug2: mac_init: found hmac-sha1
debug1: kex: client->server aes256-cbc hmac-sha1 none
debug2: mac_init: found hmac-sha1
debug1: kex: server->client aes256-cbc hmac-sha1 none
debug1: SSH2_MSG_KEX_DH_GEX_REQUEST_OLD received
debug1: SSH2_MSG_KEX_DH_GEX_GROUP sent
debug2: dh_gen_key: priv key bits set: 261/512
debug2: bits set: 1012/2048
debug1: expecting SSH2_MSG_KEX_DH_GEX_INIT
debug2: bits set: 1037/2048
debug1: SSH2_MSG_KEX_DH_GEX_REPLY sent
debug2: kex_derive_keys
debug2: set_newkeys: mode 1
debug1: SSH2_MSG_NEWKEYS sent
debug1: expecting SSH2_MSG_NEWKEYS
debug2: set_newkeys: mode 0
debug1: SSH2_MSG_NEWKEYS received
debug1: KEX done
debug1: userauth-request for user la-sftpuser service ssh-connection metho

debug1: attempt 0 failures 0
debug2: input_userauth_request: setting up authctxt for la-sftpuser
debug2: input_userauth_request: try method none
debug1: userauth_banner: sent
Failed none for la-sftpuser from 10.231.244.37 port 2305 ssh2
debug1: userauth-request for user la-sftpuser service ssh-connection metho
oard-interactive
debug1: attempt 1 failures 1
debug2: input_userauth_request: try method keyboard-interactive
debug1: keyboard-interactive devs
debug1: auth2_challenge: user=la-sftpuser devs=
debug1: kbdint_alloc: devices ''
debug2: auth2_challenge_start: devices
Failed keyboard-interactive for la-sftpuser from 10.231.244.37 port 2305 s
debug1: userauth-request for user la-sftpuser service ssh-connection metho
word
debug1: attempt 2 failures 2
debug2: input_userauth_request: try method password
Accepted password for la-sftpuser from 10.231.244.37 port 2305 ssh2
debug1: Entering interactive session for SSH2.
debug2: fd 3 setting O_NONBLOCK
debug2: fd 7 setting O_NONBLOCK
debug1: server_init_dispatch_20
debug1: server_input_channel_open: ctype session rchan 256 win 65536 max 1
debug1: input_session_request
debug1: channel 0: new [server-session]
debug1: session_new: init
debug1: session_new: session 0
debug1: session_open: channel 0
debug1: session_open: session 0: link with channel 0
debug1: server_input_channel_open: confirm session
debug1: server_input_channel_req: channel 0 request subsystem reply 1
debug1: session_by_channel: session 0 channel 0
debug1: session_input_channel_req: session 0 req subsystem
subsystem request for sftp
debug1: subsystem: exec() /usr/sbin/sftp-server
debug2: fd 10 setting O_NONBLOCK
debug2: fd 9 setting O_NONBLOCK
debug1: Received SIGCHLD.
debug1: session_by_pid: pid 5576
debug1: session_exit_message: session 0 channel 0 pid 5576
debug2: channel 0: request exit-status
debug1: session_exit_message: release channel 0
debug2: channel 0: write failed
debug2: channel 0: close_write
debug2: channel 0: output open -> closed
debug1: session_close: session 0 pid 5576
debug2: notify_done: reading
debug2: channel 0: read<=0 rfd 10 len 0
debug2: channel 0: read failed
debug2: channel 0: close_read
debug2: channel 0: input open -> drain
debug2: channel 0: ibuf empty
debug2: channel 0: send eof
debug2: channel 0: input drain -> closed
debug2: channel 0: send close
debug3: channel 0: will not send data after close
debug2: channel 0: rcvd close
debug3: channel 0: will not send data after close
debug2: channel 0: is dead
debug2: channel 0: garbage collecting
debug1: channel 0: free: server-session, nchannels 1
debug3: channel 0: status: The following connections are open:
#0 server-session (t4 r256 i3/0 o3/0 fd -1/-1)

debug3: channel 0: close_fds r -1 w -1 e -1
Connection closed by 10.231.244.37
debug1: do_cleanup
Closing connection to 10.231.244.37

It seems that the SSH server is not able to launch the SFTP server. Check it the binary /usr/sbin/sftp-server exists and if the user being logged in has sufficient permissions to execute it.

Charlie wrote:

If possible can someone please help me with openSSH/WinSCP? (I'm new to the OpenSSH env)

OpenSSH published at sshwindows.sourceforge.net has a glitch on a windows 2003 server.
I had exactly the same problem as you're describing, and eventually found copSSH (https://www.itefix.net/copssh) . This openssh distribution works fine with Windows 2003 Server.

It's not a WinSCP problem, but sshwindows problem. Anyway sshwindows is no longer maintained.

Good luck.

I had the same problem and i was able to resolve it.

The passwd file points to the default location of where the user will first see. By default, it is /home/<USERNAME>. The problem came when I wanted to point it to another hard drive and following the instructions in the readme i updated some registry keys.

IT IS CASE SENSITIVE. make sure if you want to point to, lets say the e:\ .. it is E:\ .

Thats the problem i had, and i was able to resolve the issue without resorting to using another program

I've got the same: "Connection has been unexpectedly closed. Server sent command exit status 1. Error detecting variable containing return code of last command." when tried to execute following command-line:
winscp.com password:username @unix_server.com /command "ls L*" "cd Load" "ls p*" "call sh probe.ksh"
Exit happened when I tried to invoke script probe.ksh on Unix side, where we have /usr/lbin/sftp-server

Please read documentation for common causes of the error.