Skip to main content

Cannot use WinSCP to move files to vCenter Server Appliance

Possible error text:

Connecting to vCenter Server using WinSCP fails with the error: "Received too large (1433299822 B) SFTP packet. Max supported packet size is 1024000 B"

Attempting to upload a file to the vCenter Server using the SCP protocol via WinSCP, PSCP or other SCP clients fail with the error: "Host is not communicating for more than 15 seconds. If the problem repeats, try turning off 'Optimize connection buffer size'"

By default, VCSA is set to Appliance Shell, but SCP requires Bash shell. Enable Bash Shell on the appliance.

  1. SSH to vCenter Server Appliance
  2. Access BASH
    shell
  3. Change default shell to BASH
    chsh -s /bin/bash root
  4. Upload the files you need through WinSCP
  5. Roll the changes back for security purposes
    chsh -s /bin/appliancesh root