WinSCP v5.5.5 - UofR Release Notes

Title: WinSCP v5.5.5 - UofR Release Notes
Applies to: Installers of the UofR packaged WinSCP 5.5.5
Section: General
Owner: Manager, Network & Communication Services
Last updated: 13 December 2016

Introduction


WinSCP is a freeware file transfer and directory maintenance program that allows connections between a client PC and a unix server. This program uses SSH to provide a secure encrypted session between the PC and the server. Encrypted sessions such as this protect end users from sniffing (eavesdropping) of their network traffic and passwords by crackers and other technically savvy users. Users connecting using an unencrypted wireless connection are particularly vulnerable. Use of this program instead of FTP is recommended for everyone connecting to University of Regina servers and computer equipment, especially those users who connect to the network via wireless.

Licensing


WinSCP is licensed under the GNU General Public License. Additional licensing details can be found on the WinSCP website at winscp.net

Requirements


WinSCP runs on Microsoft Windows version 95 and later. The only versions of Windows that Computing Services supports are Windows 7/10 Professional. While it is believed that the installer for WinSCP provided by the UofR will run on Windows versions other than those two, it has not been tested on those other versions. You must have a minimum of 10 megabytes free on your "C" drive for the UofR provided installer to run.

Installation


To install, first ensure you are logged into your system with an account that has administrative privileges. Then download the winscp555.exe installer from the Information Services downloads page. When the download completes, run the installer. You will be prompted to start the install and accept the license agreement. Once you have done that, the program will be installed. A Winscp group will be added to the Start Menu and you will be able to launch WinSCP from the Start Menu.

During the install, it will attempt to detect if you had previously installed WinSCP using a UofR installer. If you had, it will attempt to migrate any of your host names from the old version to the new version. The "Secure Copy Client" in the URCOMM group of the Start Menu will be removed as it refers to the old version of WinSCP.

Uninstallation


WinSCP can be removed via the "Add/Remove Programs" icon in the Windows Control Panel.

Additional Documentation


  • After installation an icon will be present in the WinSCP group of the Start Menu. Double clicking the icon will launch the program and display a screen of default host sessions. Double clicking on the desired host will display a username and password screen. Entering a valid username and password for that host and clicking login will start your session.
  • The first time you connect to a host you will receive the server's encryption key and be prompted to store it in the registry. This is normal. After you save this key, it will remain in the registry and you should not be prompted again. The only exceptions to this are the public labs on campus (where the user registry is regularly deleted on logout) and when the server administrator changes the encryption key. If you are prompted to re-accept the key and you are not in a lab and you haven't been previously warned that a server key will change, please cancel your login and contact the network administrator immediately.
  • For additional documentation you can visit the WinSCP Web Site.

  • File Permissions

  • By default when files are uploaded to a host their permissions will be set to allow access by the file's owner only. These permissions are a good default except in the case where the files are part of a web page. For all files in your public_html directory you will have to give read access to all persons before your web site will work properly. You can do this two different ways: You can transfer the files to the host and change each file's permissions one by one by right clicking on the file and clicking on the properties. In the properties page for each file, ensure that the owner, group, and other permissions all have check marks next to the letter R.
  • You can change the default transfer mode for all files using the following procedure: Select a file on your PC that you wish to transfer to the server.
  1. Choose Preferences from the Options menu at the top of the screen.
  2. Click on transfer in the left pane of the preferences window.
  3. Select the box next to Set permissions.
  4. Click the elipsis box under Set permissions.
  5. Select the new permissions you want for all file transfers.
  6. Click Close.
  7. Click OK.

Known Issues / Support

If you experience difficulty installing WinSCP, please contact the IT Support Center at 585-4685 or it.support@uregina.ca.

Revision History

v2, 2009-08-28, Mobius.math added as session; elvis.phpt session removed; hyperion session changed to use SCP instead of SFTP; default rights are set to only Owner R/W.
v3, 2012-03-26, Fix link to WinSCP web site; Correct the name of the installer file.
v4, 2015-12-02, Update for WinSCP 5.5.5
v5, 2016-12-13, Remove XP and add Windows 10 as supported.