ADCS Home > Online Guides > File Transfer Guide > WinSCP software setup and use
Using the WinSCP SFTP Program with Your Personal File Storage Server
Obtaining the WinSCP Software
You can download WinSCP and install it to your computer. Several downloads are available on the WinSCP Web site; the one called "Installation package" has a guided setup process typical of popular Windows applications.
Connecting
When you start WinSCP, the Session dialogue box automatically opens. You may chose to save the connection profile, but this is not necessary. To connect to your file space on the University of Minnesota server, enter the following, and click on the "Ok" button:
- Host Name: <your Internet ID>.email.umn.edu
- User name: <your Internet ID>
- Password: <your password>
- Initial Directories:
If you would like your remote and local windows to open to particular directories, click on the Directories subheading under Environment in the left pane.
- Remote directory: If you are going to use your account primarily for posting to your University personal web page, enter web-docs.
- Local directory: (path to folder on your PC that contains files you wish to transfer, or leave blank)
- Click on the Save... button at the bottom of this window.
- You will be prompted for a name. You may use the name that WinSCP supplies automatically.This will save these settings as a default, which will be used each time you start WinSCP.
- You will now see a new version of the login screen. It will list the connection you just saved.
- The first time you sign in, you'll likely see a notice with a prompt to cache the server's host key. Click Yes to proceed.
Screen Description
Once you have connected, you will see the main window. The left half of the main window is the local information (your computer). The right half of the main window is the remote information (the server, or University computer).
Directories
To change directories double-click on the directory name or the ".." which indicates a higher level directory. The drop-down menu with the current directory name, has a list of parent directory to the current folder. To navigate to the Desktop, go to c:\Windows\Desktop. You can click the folder icon with the upward pointing arrow to navigate to the parent directory. To open a folder by specifying it location/name, click the icon of the slightly open folder. Click the folder icon with the forward slash (/) to go to the root directory. You can also use the back and forward buttons (as in a web browser).
Transferring files
File uploads and downloads do NOT timeout. You must CANCEL the operation in the event that you lose the connection to the remote host.
To upload a file: highlight the filename on the local path window, and drag and drop it to the remote location. You can also select the Move button, and specify a location. To download a file, highlight the filename on the remote path window, and drag and drop it to the local path, or use the move button. You can also drag an drop remote files directly onto your desktop or into desktop folders.
For more help in using WinSCP, please see the help files that come with the program, or call the ADCS helpline at 612-301-4357 (1-HELP on campus). You can also refer to the WinSCP official documentation