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Windows Host Linux Guest Vm Transfer Files With Ssh

8 min read Oct 13, 2024
Windows Host Linux Guest Vm Transfer Files With Ssh

Transferring Files Between Your Windows Host and Linux Guest VM Using SSH

This article aims to guide you on how to effortlessly transfer files between your Windows host machine and a Linux virtual machine (VM) running as a guest operating system. We'll focus on utilizing the powerful and secure SSH protocol for this task.

Understanding the Setup

Before diving into the steps, let's clarify the environment we're working with:

  • Host Machine: This is your Windows computer.
  • Guest Machine: This is your Linux virtual machine, running within the Windows host. It could be a distribution like Ubuntu, Fedora, Debian, etc., set up using a virtualization software like VirtualBox or VMware Workstation.

Setting up SSH on your Linux Guest

1. Installing OpenSSH:

  • The most common way to enable SSH on your Linux guest is by installing the OpenSSH package. Depending on your distribution, you can use the following commands:

    • Ubuntu/Debian: sudo apt update && sudo apt install openssh-server
    • Fedora/CentOS: sudo dnf install openssh-server

2. Starting the SSH Service:

  • After installation, start the SSH service with: sudo systemctl enable --now ssh

3. Checking for OpenSSH:

  • Verify the SSH server is running: sudo systemctl status ssh

4. Configuring SSH (Optional):

  • You might want to adjust the SSH configuration file (/etc/ssh/sshd_config) to suit your needs. For instance, you can change the default port or enable passwordless authentication.

Connecting to the Linux VM from your Windows Host

1. Install an SSH Client:

  • Choose an SSH client application for Windows. Popular options include:
    • PuTTY: A widely-used and free SSH client. Download it from .
    • MobaXterm: A powerful terminal emulator with SSH capabilities.

2. Find the IP Address of your VM:

  • Within your virtualization software, you can usually locate the IP address assigned to your Linux guest.

3. Connect using SSH:

  • Open your SSH client and enter the following information:
    • Host Name/IP Address: The IP address of your Linux VM.
    • Port: Usually port 22, unless you modified the SSH configuration.
    • Username: The username you use to log in to your Linux VM.
    • Password: The password associated with your Linux VM user.

Transferring Files using SCP

1. Secure Copy (SCP) Command:

  • The scp command is a secure file transfer protocol that uses SSH for encryption. You can use it to send and receive files between your host and guest machines.

2. Example: Transferring a file from your Windows host to the Linux guest:

  • Assuming your Linux guest user is "user" and the file you want to transfer is "my_file.txt" on your Windows host:
    • Open your SSH client and use the following command:
    • scp my_file.txt user@<VM_IP_ADDRESS>:/home/user/

3. Example: Transferring a file from your Linux guest to the Windows host:

  • Assuming the file "guest_file.txt" is on your Linux VM:
    • Open a terminal on your Linux guest and use:
    • scp /home/user/guest_file.txt user@<your_windows_computer_IP_address>:/path/to/destination/

4. Transferring Directories:

  • To transfer an entire directory, use the -r (recursive) flag. For example:
    • scp -r /home/user/my_directory user@<VM_IP_ADDRESS>:/home/user/

Using SFTP (File Transfer Protocol over SSH)

1. Using an SFTP Client:

  • Many SSH clients, like PuTTY or MobaXterm, have built-in SFTP clients. You can easily drag and drop files to transfer them.

2. Using the sftp command:

  • You can also use the sftp command within your SSH client.

3. Transferring files with sftp:

  • Here's how to transfer a file named "data.txt" from your Linux guest to your Windows host:
    • Open your SSH client and connect to your Linux VM.
    • Type sftp user@<your_windows_computer_IP_address>
    • You'll be prompted for a password if you haven't set up passwordless SSH.
    • Use the command: put /home/user/data.txt /path/to/destination/

4. Retrieving Files with sftp: * To retrieve a file from your Windows host to your Linux guest, use the get command.

Key Points to Remember

  • Security: SSH provides a secure connection, ensuring your files are protected during transfer.
  • Authentication: You'll need to authenticate with your Linux VM user's credentials.
  • Path Specificity: Be precise with file and directory paths on both your host and guest machines.
  • Error Handling: Pay attention to error messages and troubleshoot accordingly.
  • File Size: Consider the file size being transferred. Large files may take longer to transfer.

Conclusion

Transferring files between your Windows host and Linux VM using SSH is a powerful and efficient process. By understanding the fundamentals of SSH, SCP, and SFTP, you can seamlessly manage data movement between your environments while maintaining security and reliability. This approach empowers you to share data, collaborate on projects, and manage your virtualized systems with ease.

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