Subject: RE: OpenSSH server installation error on Windows Vista Business/Ultimate
From: "David Christensen" <[email-masked]>
To: <[email-masked]>
Cc: "'Paul August'" <[email-masked]>
Date: Sun, 7 Jun 2009 11:46:56 -0700
List-Id: <cygwin.cygwin.com>

Paul August wrote:

> David,

Please address your messages to the list.  If you wish to hire me, I
prefer silver and gold U.S. coins.  :-)

> I am still having trouble to set up OpenSSH server. Following the
> suggestions below,

Which suggestions?  Please copy/ paste/ indent/ reformat the text you
wish to comment upon into your message, and then reply immediately below
so we don't have to guess/ infer.

> I run mmc.exe to make sure the Administrator account is enabled. Then
> I logon the Administrator account and from there I reinstalled cygwin
> from scratch.

Please provide more information.  I am unaware of formal Cygwin install
and uninstall mechanisms (e.g. *.msi, Add/Remove Programs, scripts,
etc.), and so follow my own seat-of-the-pants procedures
(http://cygwin.com/ml/cygwin/2009-05/msg00720.html).  Please document
what you did/ do so that it can be repeated/ troubleshot.

> However, when I run ssh-host-config -y

Don't use the -y option.  Automagic is bad when you're troubleshooting
(unless, of course, you're troubleshooting the automagic ;-).

> again, I still got the same error message.

If you mean:

>>> *** Warning: The file /etc/passwd is not readable by all.
>>> *** Warning: Please run 'chmod +r /etc/passwd'.
>>> *** Warning: The file /etc/group is not readable by all.
>>> *** Warning: Please run 'chmod +r /etc/group'.
>>> *** ERROR: Problem with LocalSystem or Adminstrator IDs

The warnings contain the solution (assuming you know Unix; do you know
Unix?).  Start a Cygwin Bash shell and run the commands:

    chmod +r /etc/passwd

    chmod +r /etc/group

Then, run ssh-host-config again.  You will get one or two more sets of
warnings/ errors with solutions.  Follow the instructions and repeat.  I
recall it taking three or four passes and that Vista took more work than
XP.

> The machine I tried above is a laptop running Windows Vista Business
> 32bit.
> Any more clues?

Please:

1.  Confirm that you have installed Cygwin using the (real Vista)
Administrator account.  Only use this account when administering Cygwin.

2.  Run Cygwin Setup and make sure your installation is up to date.

3.  Run "cygcheck" per http://cygwin.com/problems.html and save
cygcheck.out.

4.  Open a Cygwin Bash shell and attempt to configure the OpenSSH
server.

5.  If you're still stuck, reply to the list (cc myself if you like),
attach cygcheck.out, include your console session (at the end or
attached as a *.txt file), and copy/ paste key lines from the console
session into your message with your thoughts/ comments/ questions.

6.  When you do figure it out, post a summary to the list so that
everyone benefits.  (I am constantly rebuilding my machines with various
flavors of Windows, Linux, BSD, etc., and have run into vaguely familiar
problems only to STFW and find my own solutions posted on the web!)

HTH,

David

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