Error in running sshd as a service in cygwin

Question

I am using cygwin run sshd. But now the sshd is not running as a service. When I start the service using 'net start sshd', Message comes like, "the cygwin sshd service could not be started.The service did not report an error. More help is available by typing NET HELPMSG 3534" and if run using 'cygrunsrv -S sshd' the error comes like "Error starting a service. Query service status:win32 error 1062"

I have removed cygwin completely by deleting its services, server and registry. And installed again, but sshd is not running as a service.

can i have the solution for this?

Answer 1

Error starting a service. Query service status:win32 error 1062

Sometimes you get a sshd/cygrunsrv service error after trying to run the service.

cygrunsrv: Error starting a service:
QueryServiceStatus: Win32 error 1062:
The service has not been started.

There can be a couple of causes for this. The following may fix the problem (this is not an option on XP Home).

Solution 1.

You may have an old or corrupt installation of Cygwin. Try reinstalling.

The following may also help:

1. cygrunsrv -R sshd
2. REBOOT (or use the Task Manager to kill all instances of sshd that may be running in the background)
3. run ssh-host-config -y again.

This seemed to help on a few systems I worked on.

Solution 2.

Open an explorer window and use the "Properties | Security" dialog and explicitly add "Full Control" for the SYSTEM user to the following directories:

C:\Cygwin
C:\Cygwin\var
C:\Cygwin\var\log

Source Cygwin SSHD HowTo

See also StackOverflow question Unable to start cygwin sshd service

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Further reading

• Install Secure Shell Server (sshd) on Windows using Cygwin

Answer 2

Checking /var/log/sshd.log sshd complained about /var/empty now owned by root (which is called "SYSTEM" on Windows). The solution was to change the owner in an administrative Cygwin shell:

chown SYSTEM /var/empty