Windows Server Support

[r3volution11]

After spending a few hours getting OpenSSH to work with pubkey authentication (Microsoft's guide is 💩), I was excited to finally give this a shot. Then I get the error that only Linux or WSL servers are supported.

So it'd be great for that support to be added.

But in the meantime please try pointing out, in a bigger and much easier to find notification, that Windows isn't supported yet in this manner.

Thanks!

[roblourens]

That's planned, and mentioned near the top of the docs: https://code.visualstudio.com/docs/remote/ssh#_connect-to-a-remote-host but can you explain what you mean about our auth documentation not being helpful?

[r3volution11]

The Linux Server only support isn't mentioned in the announcement blog entry at all (https://code.visualstudio.com/blogs/2019/05/02/remote-development). On the extension's page (https://marketplace.visualstudio.com/items?itemName=ms-vscode-remote.remote-ssh), it is only a small note which may escape others just like it did me. I'm just suggesting maybe add a bit more prominence to it. It's especially befuddling considering Code is a Microsoft product.

As for auth documentation, I was actually referring to MS's documentation on how to set up OpenSSH (https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-server/administration/openssh/openssh_install_firstuse) with public key auth instead of a password. Luckily many others had the same problem and got together to figure it out (PowerShell/Win32-OpenSSH#1306). Adidtionally I had created authorized_keys in Code. OpenSSH expects Windows line endings and Code was set up for Linux. Fun! 😆

[roblourens]

Thanks for explaining. Sorry you lost some time. It's on the way!

[Chuxel]

@r3volution11 @roblourens Yes, there's also a C:\ProgramData\ssh\administrator_authorized_keys you need to add your key to if your an administrator. We'll add a similar summary to the ones for other operating systems to docs once we support it.

[r3volution11]

@Chuxel Well funny enough, apparently I don't need that. I went back and forth during my troubleshooting to see if that was (part of) the problem. I have it currently commented out and it's working just fine.

Setting up a SSH server on Windows is a lot trickier than it should be. 😅