4
3
After installing:
putty-0.64-installer.exe
every time windows 8.1 is rebooted, this error dialog window pops up:
Couldn't load this key (unable to open file)
How can I prevent Pageant from loading a key on startup?
Level1Coder
Posted 2015-03-18T01:50:08.033
Reputation: 1 937
4
Make sure that your GIT_SSH environment variable is set to plink.exe and not pegeant.exe.
craig Rickett
Posted 2015-03-18T01:50:08.033
Reputation: 41
1
I had similar problem with Windows 7. The solution was to rename my id_rsa.ppk to [computer_name].ppk. It seems, that for me at least, Pageant was looking for a file that didn't exist.
If renaming doesn't help, you can use Process Monitor to check what file exactly is Pageant looking for.
With Process Monitor, use filters:
Jaakko
Posted 2015-03-18T01:50:08.033
Reputation: 240
1This is old but really saved me a few more hours of trial and error. I had an issue with SourceTree by Atlassian constantly popping up saying my SSH key failed with pageant and found it was looking for the filename github.ppk instead of what I had named it which was putty.ppk – Adam Short – 2016-08-02T17:52:55.417
0
I've been getting this error on every startup of Windows 7. I found that it was trying to open an incorrectly named .ppk file which had been hardcoded into the launch shortcut of Pageant in the Startup folder.
To check if this is the problem, go to Start > All Programs > Startup > right-click on Pageant > Properties.
The "Target" field includes the path to the pageant.exe executable, potentially followed by the path to a .ppk. Verify that this .ppk actually exists.
Jugdizh
Posted 2015-03-18T01:50:08.033
Reputation: 1
3Seems like an alternate solution to the other answer. Might be neat if you mentioned what plink.exe and pagent.exe are and how switching them would help. I remember pagent is the ssh agent for putty, but what is plink? and would this still be valid if git wasn't installed? – Journeyman Geek – 2015-11-02T11:34:41.677
Sorry, as I understand plink.exe is a safe way of sending commands to a server which don't require any user GUI input and pageant.exe is a way of housing private keys. I don't know if that is the best way to put it but I hope that helps. – craig Rickett – 2015-11-02T15:45:17.653