LFCS Part 44: File Transfer with WinSCP

Welcome back to the LFCS Certification - Phase 1 series! In our previous posts, we explored SSH remote access (Post 42) and MobaXterm for Windows (Post 43). Now we're going to learn about WinSCP—a dedicated Windows application specifically designed for secure file transfers between Windows and Linux systems.

While MobaXterm combines terminal access with file transfer, WinSCP focuses exclusively on file management. It provides a powerful, graphical interface for SFTP and SCP transfers with features like directory synchronization, drag-and-drop operations, integrated text editing, and automation capabilities—making it an essential tool for Windows users who frequently transfer files to and from Linux servers.

What is WinSCP?

WinSCP (Windows Secure Copy) is a free, open-source SFTP, SCP, and FTP client for Windows. It was developed by Martin Přikryl and has been the go-to file transfer tool for Windows administrators since 2000.

Key Features of WinSCP

WinSCP stands out with these features:

1. Graphical File Management: Windows Explorer-like interface for remote files
2. Multiple Interface Modes: Commander (dual-pane) and Explorer (single-pane) views
3. Drag-and-Drop Support: Easy file transfers between Windows and Linux
4. Directory Synchronization: Keep local and remote directories in sync
5. Integrated Text Editor: Edit remote files directly
6. Batch Operations: Transfer multiple files and folders efficiently
7. Scripting and Automation: Command-line interface for automated transfers
8. Session Management: Save and organize connection profiles
9. Transfer Queue: Monitor and manage ongoing transfers
10. File Comparison: Compare local and remote files before syncing

Why WinSCP Matters for System Administrators

As a system administrator, WinSCP provides:

Specialized file transfer: Focused on managing files, not terminal access

Windows ←→ WinSCP ←→ Linux Server
  ↓           ↓            ↓
Drag &     Queue &      SFTP/SCP
Drop       Monitor      Protocol

Visual comparison: See differences between local and remote files

Local Directory    |    Remote Directory
file1.txt (old)    |    file1.txt (new)
file2.txt (same)   |    file2.txt (same)
file3.txt (only)   |    [missing]

Synchronization: Automated directory syncing

Keep Remote Directory Up-To-Date
Local changes → Automatically sync → Remote server

Batch automation: Script file transfers for scheduled tasks

winscp.com /script=backup.txt
→ Automated nightly backups

WinSCP is completely free, widely trusted, and integrates seamlessly with Windows workflows.

Downloading and Installing WinSCP

WinSCP is available for free download from the official website.

Downloading WinSCP

Step 1: Visit the official website

https://winscp.net/

Step 2: Click the large "Download" button

Step 3: Choose download type:

• Installation package (recommended) - Traditional Windows installer
• Portable executable - No installation required, runs from a folder

Download size: Approximately 10-12 MB

Installation Steps

For Installation Package:

1. Run the installer (WinSCP-5.x-Setup.exe)

2. User Account Control: Click "Yes" to allow

3. License Agreement: Accept the GPL license (click "Accept")

4. Setup Type: Choose your preference:

   • Typical installation (recommended) - Standard features
   • Custom installation - Choose components
   • Full installation - All components including help files

5. User Interface Style: Choose initial interface mode:

   • Commander (recommended) - Dual-pane view (like Norton Commander)
   • Explorer - Single-pane view (like Windows Explorer)

   You can change this later in preferences

6. Installation location:

   • Default: C:\Program Files (x86)\WinSCP\
   • Or choose custom location

7. Additional tasks: Select options:

   • Create desktop icon ✓
   • Add to Start Menu ✓
   • Add to Send To menu (optional)
   • Add to context menu (optional)

8. Install: Click "Install" to begin

9. Completion: Click "Finish" to launch WinSCP

For Portable Version:

1. Extract the ZIP file to a folder of your choice

2. Run WinSCP.exe directly

3. No installation required - can run from USB drive

First Launch

When you launch WinSCP for the first time:

Login dialog appears immediately:

• This is where you create and manage connections
• You'll see a list of saved sessions (initially empty)
• Multiple connection protocols available (SFTP, SCP, FTP, WebDAV)

Initial configuration (if prompted):

• Choose whether to check for updates automatically
• Accept or customize default settings

WinSCP Interface Modes

WinSCP offers two interface modes to suit different preferences.

Commander Interface (Dual-Pane)

Layout:

┌─────────────────┬─────────────────┐
│  Local Files    │  Remote Files   │
│  (Windows)      │  (Linux)        │
│                 │                 │
│  C:\Users\      │  /home/user/    │
│  Documents      │  Documents      │
│                 │                 │
└─────────────────┴─────────────────┘
      [Transfer Queue Below]

Features:

• Left pane: Local Windows filesystem
• Right pane: Remote Linux filesystem (when connected)
• Side-by-side comparison: Easy visual file comparison
• Toolbar in middle: Quick access to common operations
• Transfer queue at bottom: Shows ongoing transfers

Best for: Users familiar with Norton Commander, Total Commander, or similar dual-pane file managers

Explorer Interface (Single-Pane)

Layout:

┌─────────────────────────────────┐
│  Remote Files (Linux Server)    │
│                                 │
│  /home/user/                    │
│  Documents                      │
│  Downloads                      │
│                                 │
└─────────────────────────────────┘
      [Transfer Queue Below]

Features:

• Single pane: Shows remote files only
• Windows Explorer-like: Familiar to Windows users
• Drag files from Windows: Drop them into WinSCP to upload
• Simpler interface: Less cluttered for basic operations

Best for: Users who prefer Windows Explorer's look and feel

Switching Between Interfaces

You can switch at any time:

Options → Preferences → Environment → Interface

Select:

• Commander interface
• Explorer interface

Click OK and restart WinSCP for changes to take effect.

Connecting to a Linux Server

Let's create your first connection to a remote Linux server.

Creating a New Connection

Step 1: Open the Login Dialog

When you launch WinSCP, the login dialog appears automatically.

If it's closed, click Session → New Session (or press Ctrl+N)

Step 2: Choose Protocol

In the "File protocol" dropdown:

• SFTP (default, recommended) - Secure FTP over SSH
• SCP - Secure Copy Protocol
• FTP - Standard FTP (not encrypted, not recommended)
• WebDAV - Web-based file transfer
• S3 - Amazon S3 storage

For Linux servers, use SFTP (most compatible and secure)

Step 3: Enter Server Details

Fill in the connection details:

Host name:

192.168.1.100

Or:

server.example.com

Port number:

22

(Default SSH/SFTP port)

User name:

john

Password:

your_password

(Or leave blank if using SSH keys)

Step 4: Advanced Options (Optional)

Click Advanced button for additional settings:

SSH → Authentication:

• Private key file: Browse to your SSH private key (.ppk format)
• Allow agent forwarding: For using SSH agent

SSH → Tunneling:

• Configure SSH tunnels if needed

Environment → Directories:

• Remote directory: Starting directory on server (default: home)
• Local directory: Starting directory on Windows

Transfer → Endurance:

• Enable transfer resume: Resume interrupted transfers
• Preserve timestamp: Keep original file modification times

Step 5: Save Session

Before connecting, save the session for future use:

1. Click Save button
2. Enter Site name: "Production Web Server" (or descriptive name)
3. Optionally create a Desktop icon
4. Click OK

Step 6: Connect

Click Login button to connect.

First Connection Experience

Host Key Verification:

On first connection, you'll see:

The server's host key was not found in the cache.
You have no guarantee that the server is the computer you think it is.

Server's host key fingerprint:
ssh-ed25519 255 xx:xx:xx:xx:xx:xx:xx:xx:xx:xx:xx:xx:xx:xx:xx:xx

If you trust this host, press "Yes".

Options:

• Yes - Connect once, don't save the key
• No - Abort connection
• Cancel - Cancel connection
• Copy Key Fingerprint - Copy for verification
• Save (add to cache) - Trust this key permanently

Recommended: Click Yes (or Add if you want to save the key)

After Successful Connection:

Commander mode shows:

• Left pane: Your Windows files (e.g., C:\Users\YourName\Documents)
• Right pane: Linux server files (e.g., /home/john/)
• Status bar: Shows connection status and transfer info

Explorer mode shows:

• Main window: Linux server files
• Address bar: Current remote path

Transferring Files

WinSCP makes file transfers intuitive with multiple methods.

Uploading Files to Linux Server

Method 1: Drag and Drop (Easiest)

Commander interface:

• Select file(s) in left pane (Windows)
• Drag them to the right pane (Linux)
• Drop to upload

Explorer interface:

• Open Windows Explorer alongside WinSCP
• Drag files from Windows Explorer
• Drop into WinSCP window

Method 2: Copy and Paste

1. Select file(s) in local pane (Windows)
2. Press Ctrl+C to copy
3. Click in remote pane (Linux)
4. Press Ctrl+V to paste (upload)

Method 3: Upload Button

1. Select file(s) in local pane
2. Click Upload button (or press F5)
3. Confirm destination path
4. Click OK

Method 4: Context Menu

1. Right-click file(s) in local pane
2. Select Upload
3. Choose destination

Downloading Files from Linux Server

Method 1: Drag and Drop

Commander interface:

• Select file(s) in right pane (Linux)
• Drag them to the left pane (Windows)
• Drop to download

Method 2: Download Button

1. Select file(s) in remote pane (Linux)
2. Click Download button (or press F5)
3. Confirm destination path
4. Click OK

Method 3: Copy and Paste

1. Select file(s) in remote pane
2. Press Ctrl+C
3. Click in local pane
4. Press Ctrl+V to paste (download)

Transfer Progress and Queue

When transferring files, the Transfer Queue appears at the bottom:

Information shown:

• File name: Current file being transferred
• Progress bar: Visual progress indicator
• Speed: Transfer rate (KB/s, MB/s)
• Time remaining: Estimated time to completion
• Queue: Other pending transfers

Queue controls:

• Pause: Temporarily stop transfer
• Resume: Continue paused transfer
• Abort: Cancel transfer
• Show details: View detailed transfer log

Transferring Directories

Upload entire directory:

1. Select folder in local pane
2. Drag to remote pane (or press F5)
3. WinSCP automatically transfers all contents recursively

Download entire directory:

1. Select folder in remote pane
2. Drag to local pane (or press F5)
3. All contents are downloaded

Confirmation dialog shows:

• Transfer mode (text/binary/automatic)
• Number of files
• Total size
• Options to preserve timestamps, permissions

Directory Synchronization

One of WinSCP's most powerful features is automatic directory synchronization.

Opening the Synchronization Dialog

Commands → Synchronize (or press Ctrl+S)

The "Synchronize" dialog opens.

Synchronization Modes

Synchronize:

• Keeps two directories identical
• Compares files by size and timestamp
• Copies new/modified files in both directions

Keep remote directory up to date:

• Makes remote match local (one-way sync)
• Monitors local directory for changes
• Automatically uploads new/modified files
• Use case: Continuous deployment of website files

Keep local directory up to date:

• Makes local match remote (one-way sync)
• Monitors remote directory for changes
• Automatically downloads new/modified files
• Use case: Backup server files to local PC

Synchronization Options

Direction:

• Both: Synchronize both directions (most common)
• Local: Only upload changes to server
• Remote: Only download changes from server

Comparison criteria:

• Modification time: Compare file timestamps (default)
• Size: Compare file sizes
• Either: File differs if time OR size is different

Options:

• Delete files: Remove files that don't exist on the other side
• Existing files only: Don't copy new files, only update existing ones
• Preview changes: Show what will be changed before applying
• Synchronize selected files: Only sync selected files/folders

Performing Synchronization

Step 1: Set synchronization mode and options

Step 2: Click OK (or Preview changes to see what will happen)

Step 3: Review the preview:

Direction  File            Status
→          file1.txt       Upload (local is newer)
←          file2.txt       Download (remote is newer)
×          file3.txt       Delete from remote
=          file4.txt       Up to date

Step 4: Uncheck any files you don't want to sync

Step 5: Click OK to execute synchronization

Result: Directories are now synchronized

Keep Remote Directory Up to Date (Auto-Sync)

This mode continuously monitors the local directory and uploads changes automatically.

Use case: Web development - local changes instantly uploaded to server

How to use:

1. Commands → Keep Remote Directory up to Date
2. Choose local and remote directories
3. Set options (which files to sync, etc.)
4. Click Start

WinSCP stays running and monitors for changes:

• Create new file locally → Automatically uploaded
• Modify existing file → Automatically updated on server
• Delete file locally → Automatically deleted on server (if enabled)

Status window shows:

• Monitoring status
• Recent changes detected and uploaded
• Transfer log

Stop monitoring: Click Stop button

Editing Remote Files

WinSCP allows you to edit files on the remote server directly from Windows.

Opening Remote Files for Editing

Method 1: Double-click

• Double-click any text file in the remote pane
• File opens in your default text editor (Notepad, Notepad++, etc.)

Method 2: Context menu

1. Right-click file
2. Select Edit (or press F4)
3. File opens in editor

Method 3: Specific editor

1. Right-click file
2. Edit → Edit with → [Choose Editor]
3. Opens with selected application

How Remote Editing Works

Behind the scenes:

1. Download: WinSCP downloads file to temporary location on Windows
2. Edit: File opens in your text editor
3. Monitor: WinSCP watches the temporary file for changes
4. Upload: When you save, WinSCP automatically uploads the modified file back to server
5. Cleanup: Temporary file is deleted when editor closes

Status indicator:

• While editing: File is marked as "being edited"
• After save: Status shows "uploaded"

Configuring Text Editors

Options → Preferences → Editors

Add or edit editors:

Internal editor:

• WinSCP's built-in basic text editor
• Good for quick edits

External editor:

• Notepad++ (recommended for Windows)
• Sublime Text
• Visual Studio Code
• Vim/Emacs for Windows
• Any text editor you prefer

Configure editor:

1. Click Add to add new editor
2. External editor: Browse to executable (e.g., notepad++.exe)
3. Set as default editor if desired
4. Configure for specific file types (e.g., .conf, .php, .py)

Recommended: Install Notepad++ and set it as default editor for better syntax highlighting and features.

Session Management

WinSCP makes it easy to save and organize multiple server connections.

Saving Sessions

When creating a connection:

1. Enter connection details
2. Click Save button
3. Enter Site name: Descriptive name for this connection
4. Click OK

Session is saved and appears in the session list for future use.

Organizing Sessions with Folders

Create folders to organize connections:

1. In login dialog, click New Site dropdown → New Folder
2. Name the folder (e.g., "Production Servers", "Development")
3. Click OK

Move sessions into folders:

• Drag and drop sessions onto folders
• Or edit session and change Folder field

Example organization:

📁 Production
  ├─ Web Server 1
  ├─ Web Server 2
  └─ Database Server
📁 Development
  ├─ Dev Server
  └─ Test Server
📁 Personal
  └─ Home Lab

Editing Saved Sessions

1. In login dialog, select saved session
2. Click Edit button
3. Modify connection settings
4. Click Save to update

Duplicating Sessions

Copy an existing session:

1. Select session
2. Click Duplicate button
3. Modify name and settings as needed
4. Click Save

Use case: Create variations of similar servers (e.g., different ports or users)

Exporting and Importing Sessions

Export sessions (backup):

1. Tools → Export/Backup Configuration
2. Choose what to export (sessions, settings, etc.)
3. Select destination
4. Save .ini file

Import sessions (restore):

1. Tools → Import/Restore Configuration
2. Select the .ini file
3. Choose what to import
4. Sessions are restored

File Operations

WinSCP supports comprehensive file and directory operations.

Creating Directories

Remote server:

1. Navigate to parent directory
2. Click New → Directory (or press F7)
3. Enter directory name
4. Set permissions (optional)
5. Click OK

Renaming Files and Directories

Method 1:

1. Select file/directory
2. Press F2
3. Enter new name
4. Press Enter

Method 2:

1. Right-click file/directory
2. Select Rename
3. Enter new name

Deleting Files and Directories

Select files to delete

Press Delete key or right-click → Delete

Confirmation dialog appears:

• Shows files to be deleted
• Option to move to Recycle Bin (if available)
• Permanent deletion on remote server

Click Delete to confirm.

Caution: Deleted remote files cannot be recovered from Windows Recycle Bin!

Changing Permissions (chmod)

Linux file permissions can be modified:

1. Right-click file/directory
2. Select Properties (or press F9)
3. Permissions tab shows:
   • Owner, Group, Others permissions
   • Read, Write, Execute checkboxes
   • Octal notation (e.g., 644, 755)

Modify permissions:

• Check/uncheck boxes for Read, Write, Execute
• Or type octal value directly (e.g., 755)
• Recursive: Apply to all files in directory

Click OK to apply.

File Comparison

Compare local and remote files:

Commands → Compare Directories

Result:

• Files are color-coded:
  • Yellow: Different (size or timestamp mismatch)
  • Green: Unique to one side
  • White: Identical

Actions:

• Synchronize to update differing files
• Manually transfer specific files

Transfer Settings

Customize how WinSCP handles file transfers.

Transfer Mode

Options → Preferences → Transfer → Transfer Mode

Automatic (recommended):

• WinSCP detects file type
• Text files: Converts line endings (CRLF ↔ LF)
• Binary files: Transfers as-is

Text:

• Forces text mode
• Converts line endings
• Use for scripts, configs, text files

Binary:

• No conversion
• Use for images, executables, archives

File Masks

Specify which files to transfer:

Commands → Synchronize → File mask

Examples:

• *.txt - Only text files
• *.php; *.html - PHP and HTML files
• *.* - All files
• *.jpg; *.png - Images only

Exclude patterns:

• | *.bak - Exclude backup files
• | .git/ - Exclude Git directory

Speed Limits

Limit transfer speed to avoid saturating bandwidth:

Options → Preferences → Transfer → Connection

Speed limit:

• Set maximum upload/download speed
• Useful on shared networks
• Measured in KB/s

Resume Support

Enable transfer resume for large files:

Options → Preferences → Transfer → Endurance → Enable transfer resume/transfer to temporary filename

Benefits:

• Resume interrupted transfers
• Don't re-upload entire large files
• Handles connection drops gracefully

Scripting and Automation

WinSCP provides a command-line interface for automated file transfers.

WinSCP Command-Line Tool

winscp.com - Console version for scripting

Location: Same directory as WinSCP.exe

Basic Script Syntax

Create a text file (e.g., backup.txt) with commands:

open sftp://user:password@server.example.com
cd /path/to/remote/directory
lcd C:\local\directory
get *.txt
exit

Run the script:

"C:\Program Files (x86)\WinSCP\winscp.com" /script=backup.txt

Script Commands

Common commands for scripts:

Connection:

• open sftp://user@host - Connect to server
• close - Disconnect

Navigation:

• cd /remote/path - Change remote directory
• lcd C:\local\path - Change local directory
• pwd - Show current remote directory

Transfer:

• get file.txt - Download file
• put file.txt - Upload file
• get *.txt - Download all matching files
• put -delete *.log - Upload and delete local files after

Synchronization:

• synchronize remote C:\local /remote/path - Sync directories

File operations:

• rm file.txt - Delete remote file
• mv old.txt new.txt - Rename remote file
• mkdir newdir - Create directory

Exit:

• exit - Close WinSCP

Example: Automated Backup Script

backup-to-server.txt:

option batch abort
option confirm off
open sftp://backupuser@backup.example.com
cd /backups/daily
lcd C:\important-files
put -delete *.*
exit

Schedule with Windows Task Scheduler:

winscp.com /script=backup-to-server.txt /log=backup.log

Result: Automated daily backups to remote server.

Using SSH Keys in Scripts

For key-based authentication:

open sftp://user@host -privatekey="C:\path\to\key.ppk"

Generate .ppk key:

• Use PuTTYgen (included with WinSCP)
• Convert OpenSSH keys to .ppk format

Logging

Enable logging for troubleshooting:

winscp.com /script=backup.txt /log=transfer.log

Log file contains:

• All commands executed
• Server responses
• Errors and warnings
• Transfer statistics

Best Practices

1. Always Use SFTP Over SCP

SFTP is more reliable and feature-rich than SCP.

Connection settings: Choose "SFTP" as protocol.

2. Save Sessions with Descriptive Names

Use clear, descriptive session names:

• ✓ "Production Web Server (192.168.1.100)"
• ✗ "Server1"

3. Use SSH Keys Instead of Passwords

More secure and enables automation:

1. Generate SSH key pair (use PuTTYgen)
2. Copy public key to Linux server (~/.ssh/authorized_keys)
3. In WinSCP session settings: Advanced → SSH → Authentication → Private key file

4. Enable Transfer Resume

For large files or unreliable connections:

Options → Preferences → Transfer → Endurance → Enable transfer resume

5. Preview Before Synchronizing

Always preview synchronization changes:

Commands → Synchronize → Check "Preview changes"

Review what will be changed before committing.

6. Use Keep Remote Directory Up to Date for Development

Web developers: Enable auto-sync to instantly upload changes:

Commands → Keep Remote Directory up to Date

7. Configure External Text Editor

Use a proper editor for better syntax highlighting:

Options → Preferences → Editors → Add → Browse to Notepad++

8. Backup Your Sessions

Regularly export your saved sessions:

Tools → Export/Backup Configuration

9. Set File Masks for Selective Sync

Don't sync everything - use masks to filter:

*.php; *.html; *.css; *.js

Exclude unnecessary files:

| *.bak; .git/; node_modules/

10. Use Commander Interface for Side-by-Side Comparison

Commander mode makes it easy to compare local and remote files visually.

Practice Labs

Time to practice using WinSCP! These labs assume you have a Linux server to connect to.

Lab 1: Download and Install WinSCP

Task: Download WinSCP and install it on your Windows machine with the Commander interface.

Lab 2: Create and Save a Connection

Task: Create a new SFTP connection to a Linux server and save it with a descriptive name.

Lab 3: Upload a File to Linux Server

Task: Create a text file on your Windows desktop, then upload it to your Linux home directory using drag-and-drop.

Lab 4: Download a File from Linux Server

Task: Create a file on the Linux server using SSH/terminal, then download it to your Windows Downloads folder using WinSCP.

echo "This file will be downloaded via WinSCP" > download-test.txt
ls -l download-test.txt

Lab 5: Create a Remote Directory

Task: Create a new folder called "winscp-test" on the Linux server using WinSCP.

ls -ld winscp-test

Lab 6: Transfer Multiple Files

Task: Create 3 text files on Windows, then upload all of them at once to the Linux server.

Lab 7: Edit a Remote File

Task: Use WinSCP to edit a file on the Linux server, modify its contents, save, and verify the changes.

cat test-edit.txt

Lab 8: Change File Permissions

Task: Create a script file on the Linux server and use WinSCP to make it executable (chmod 755).

echo '#!/bin/bash' > myscript.sh
echo 'echo "Hello from script"' >> myscript.sh
ls -l myscript.sh

-rw-r--r-- 1 user user ... myscript.sh

ls -l myscript.sh

-rwxr-xr-x 1 user user ... myscript.sh

./myscript.sh

Hello from script

Lab 9: Synchronize Directories

Task: Create a local folder with some files, then synchronize it with a remote directory on the Linux server.

Direction  File          Status
→          file1.txt     Upload (new)
→          file2.txt     Upload (new)
→          subfolder/    Create directory
→          file3.txt     Upload (new)

Lab 10: Keep Remote Directory Up to Date

Task: Enable automatic synchronization so that any changes to a local folder are instantly uploaded to the server.

Lab 11: Rename a Remote File

Task: Rename a file on the Linux server using WinSCP.

echo "Test content" > old-name.txt

ls -l new-name.txt

Lab 12: Delete Multiple Files

Task: Create several test files on the Linux server, then delete them all at once using WinSCP.

touch delete1.txt delete2.txt delete3.txt
ls -l delete*.txt

Do you want to permanently delete these 3 files?
- delete1.txt
- delete2.txt
- delete3.txt

ls -l delete*.txt

Lab 13: Compare Local and Remote Directories

Task: Create some files locally and remotely with differences, then use WinSCP to compare the directories.

C:\Users\YourName\Desktop\compare-test\
  ├─ file1.txt (content: "Local version")
  ├─ file2.txt (content: "Same content")
  └─ file3.txt (only exists locally)

mkdir compare-test
cd compare-test
echo "Remote version" > file1.txt
echo "Same content" > file2.txt
echo "Remote only" > file4.txt

Lab 14: Transfer a Large File and Monitor Progress

Task: Create a large file (or use an existing one) and transfer it to the server while watching the transfer queue.

fsutil file createnew C:\Users\YourName\Desktop\largefile.bin 104857600

Lab 15: Configure Notepad++ as External Editor

Task: Install Notepad++ (if not already installed) and configure WinSCP to use it as the default text editor.

Lab 16: Create an Organized Session Structure

Task: Create folders for different server categories and organize your saved sessions.

📁 Production Servers
  ├─ Web Server 1
  └─ Database Server
📁 Development Servers
  ├─ Dev Server
  └─ Test API Server
📁 Testing Servers
  └─ QA Server
📁 Personal Projects
  └─ Home Lab

Lab 17: Export Sessions for Backup

Task: Export your saved WinSCP sessions to a file for backup purposes.

Lab 18: Use File Masks for Selective Transfer

Task: Create a folder with various file types, then use synchronization with file masks to transfer only specific types.

C:\Users\YourName\Desktop\mixed-files\
  ├─ document.txt
  ├─ image.jpg
  ├─ script.php
  ├─ backup.bak
  ├─ data.csv
  └─ readme.md

→  document.txt  (Upload)
→  readme.md     (Upload)
→  data.csv      (Upload)

Lab 19: Set Transfer Speed Limit

Task: Configure WinSCP to limit transfer speed to avoid saturating your network bandwidth.

Lab 20: Create a Simple Automation Script

Task: Create a WinSCP script to automatically upload files from a local folder to a remote server.

option batch abort
option confirm off
open sftp://john:password@192.168.1.100
cd /home/john/uploads
lcd C:\Users\YourName\Desktop\upload-folder
put *.txt
close
exit

cd "C:\Program Files (x86)\WinSCP"
winscp.com /script=C:\Users\YourName\Desktop\auto-upload.txt

open sftp://john@192.168.1.100 -privatekey="C:\path\to\key.ppk"

Common Pitfalls

1. Saving Passwords in Sessions

Issue: Passwords stored in plain text in WinSCP configuration.

Better approach:

• Use SSH key authentication
• Don't check "Save password"
• Enter password each time (more secure)

2. Not Previewing Synchronization

Issue: Accidentally deleting or overwriting important files.

Fix:

• Always check "Preview changes" in Synchronize dialog
• Review what will be changed before executing

3. Transferring Binary Files in Text Mode

Issue: Files get corrupted during transfer.

Fix:

• Use "Automatic" transfer mode (default)
• Or explicitly set "Binary" mode for non-text files

4. Forgetting to Close Editors

Issue: Locked files on server, can't be edited elsewhere.

Fix:

• Close text editors when done editing
• WinSCP releases the file lock

5. Deleting Files Without Confirmation

Issue: Accidentally deleting important remote files.

Prevention:

• Enable delete confirmation: Options → Preferences → Confirmations
• Double-check before confirming deletion
• Remote files can't be recovered from Recycle Bin!

6. Using FTP Instead of SFTP

Issue: Insecure, unencrypted transfers.

Fix:

• Always use SFTP protocol
• Verify connection shows "SFTP" not "FTP"

7. Incorrect .ppk Key Format

Issue: OpenSSH keys don't work directly with WinSCP.

Fix:

• Use PuTTYgen (included with WinSCP) to convert
• Load OpenSSH key → Save as .ppk format
• Use .ppk file in WinSCP session settings

WinSCP vs Other File Transfer Tools

| Feature | WinSCP | FileZilla | MobaXterm SFTP | Windows Explorer | |---------|--------|-----------|----------------|------------------| | SFTP Support | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ❌ | | Directory Sync | ✅ Excellent | ✅ Basic | ❌ | ❌ | | Dual-Pane View | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ❌ | | Scripting | ✅ Powerful | ❌ Weak | ✅ | ❌ | | Integrated Editor | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | N/A | | SSH Keys | ✅ .ppk | ✅ OpenSSH | ✅ | N/A | | Cost | ✅ Free | ✅ Free | ✅ Free | N/A | | Platform | Windows | Cross-platform | Windows | Windows | | Terminal | ❌ | ❌ | ✅ | N/A |

WinSCP advantages: Best synchronization features, excellent scripting, Windows-optimized.

Key Takeaways

1. WinSCP is a dedicated SFTP/SCP client for Windows focused on file transfers
2. Two interface modes: Commander (dual-pane) and Explorer (single-pane)
3. Always use SFTP protocol for encrypted, secure transfers
4. Drag-and-drop support makes transfers intuitive and fast
5. Directory synchronization keeps local and remote directories in sync
6. Keep Remote Directory Up to Date enables automatic, continuous syncing
7. Integrated text editor allows editing remote files directly
8. File permissions can be modified through the Properties dialog
9. Scripting with winscp.com enables automation and scheduled transfers
10. Session management organizes multiple server connections efficiently

What's Next?

You've mastered WinSCP for secure file transfers between Windows and Linux! In the next post, we'll explore Linux Core Components—understanding the kernel, glibc, shells, and systemd to grasp how Linux systems work at a fundamental level.

Coming up:

• The Linux kernel and its role
• glibc (GNU C Library) explained
• Understanding shells (bash, sh, zsh)
• systemd - system and service manager
• How components interact
• Linux architecture layers

Keep practicing with WinSCP, and see you in the next post!

Previous Post: LFCS Part 43: Accessing Linux from Windows with MobaXterm

Next Post: LFCS Part 45: Understanding Linux Core Components (Coming Soon)