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windows 10 update seems to have broken putty ssh client

Anonymous
2024-05-16T12:26:13+00:00

I have been successfully using puTTY ssh client for years, including up to the point when I shut down my Windows 10 PC last night. When I did the restart, it updated apparently with kb5037768 and kb5038285 (both cumulative updates for windows 10 for May 14). Now I am no longer able to use puTTY.

Symptoms are that the puTTY terminal window hangs with 'not responding' as soon as it is opened to try to make a connection.

It doesn't appear to be a firewall problem. I turned off the firewall temporarily, but the problem persisted.

I have tried uninstalling the update. However, the list in Uninstall is inconsistent with the settings update history (both show two updates for last night, but with different KB numbers). But in any case, Windows immediately updates again, and I can't hide the either update, because the numbers don't match. (Uninstall Updates shows kb5036892 security update).

I have tried uninstalling and reinstalling puTTY. No difference. I was already using the most recent version.

I downloaded Termius for Windows (I use Termius on my Mac) and that *does* work. I also tried Windows built in openssh client and that also works.

Windows for business | Windows Client for IT Pros | Networking | Software-defined networking

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  1. Anonymous
    2024-06-03T14:57:38+00:00

    Hello,

    The issue you're experiencing might be due to a compatibility problem introduced by the recent Windows updates, specific to PuTTY. Since other SSH clients like Termius and the built-in OpenSSH client in Windows are working fine, it suggests that the issue is isolated to PuTTY.

    Here are a few steps you can take to troubleshoot the issue:

    1.Sometimes, permissions can cause issues. Try running PuTTY as an administrator to see if that resolves the problem. Right-click on the PuTTY executable or shortcut and choose "Run as administrator."

    2.You could try running PuTTY in compatibility mode for an earlier version of Windows. Right-click the PuTTY shortcut or executable, go to Properties > Compatibility tab, and select a previous version of Windows (e.g., Windows 8) then apply and try running it again.

    1. Check the Windows Event Viewer for any error logs related to PuTTY or SSH when you attempt to connect. This might give you more insight into what's causing the hang.

    Best regards

    Zunhui

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