Failed to import user key! [13]

One of my servers is using openssh keypair authentication.

I used puttygen to generate a public key and a private key, and have been able to login to my server using the ppk file with putty.

But when I tried to import the ppk file into Xshell, it always says "Failed to import the user key!".



Program Ver. : Xshell 3.0

Putty uses its own user key format (not the default use key format) which is not supported by Xshell. We will consider adding a feature to allow importing Putty generated user keys.



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Technical Support

You can import the ppk in puttygen, then export to open ssh2 in menu conversions/export openssh key. The generated file can be imported into Xshell.

I generated a keypair with ssh 5.5 p1 and tried to import the public key into Xshell but it failed. This should be the standard OpenSSH format for the key so I do not understand why that would not be supported, vs PuTTY's propriety format.

Why would that have failed?

Xshell supports SECSH public key file format. To convert the public key into SECSH format, you can use the -e ssh-keygen option. For example, to convert a public key, "test.pub" to SECSH format, use:

# ssh-keygen -e test.pub


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Technical Support

Hi!

I generate my keys in linux, then convert public dsa to secsh format, but key still does not fit. What should I do? Thank you!

You can import the ppk in puttygen, then export to open ssh2 in menu conversions/export openssh key. The generated file can be imported into Xshell.


>>thank you this worked perfectly!!

Fernando - you're a life saver man. Thanks a lot for telling me how to do that in XShell.

PEOPLE, THE METHOD TOLD BY FERNANDO AT Monday, April 5, 2010 3:36 PM TOTALLY WORKS.

Fernando --> On the dot..Thanks buddy.

All of these methods do not work.
This is very disappointing, as a Xshell user in the past couple of years this is an issue that is a Blocker for me, and I will sadly need to use an app that does support these files :\

Yes the import of putty ppk file is not working.

When this feature will be available

More over the puttygen way of generated public key, from ppk, too not working in Xshell 5.0.

About private key type, Xshell and Putty meet at OpenSSH format.
PuttyGen can export Putty private keys(.ppk) into OpenSSH private key type , which can be imported by Xshell directly.

If you have a lot of ppk files to convert, give it a try to use command line based puttygen.

https://www.netsarang.com/extrafiles/xshell/4385/Command_line_Puttygen

Thanks Mr. Fernando. it's indeed a good advice and I was able to login using new key.