SecureCRT 6.x for Windows

Secure Remote Access and File Transfer

About SecureCRT

SecureCRT provides secure remote access and file transfer, with several different terminal emulations, and allows encrypted Secure Shell (SSH1 and SSH2) sessions with many servers and UNIX computers at UVa. This software is licensed to the University of Virginia and provided to those individuals who are employed by or enrolled at UVa. All other use is strictly prohibited.

Download and Install SecureCRT

ITC recommends you uninstall any earlier versions of SecureCRT installed on your computer. From the Start menu, select Control Panel, then

  • Windows Vista: Select Programs and Features
  • Windows XP: Select Add or Remove Programs

Remove any previous versions of VanDyke SecureCRT

(Note: If your computer already has an older version of SecureCRT with custom configurations which you would like the new version of SecureCRT to inherit, simply install the new version of the program without first uninstalling the old one. You will then have both versions installed, and each version will have the same settings and profiles.)

Download and Installation Steps

  1. Download the installer for SecureCRT for Windows to your hard drive.
  2. Prepare to install the software by disconnecting your computer from any wired or wireless networks, disabling your antivirus and/or anti-spyware software, and logging into your computer as Administrator or as an administrator-equivalent user.
  3. Double-click the installer file (crt.exe) that you downloaded to your hard drive; the following table summarizes the resulting dialog box prompts and suggested responses:
    Dialog Box Suggested Response
    Welcome Click the Next button.
    License Agreement Accept the license terms and click the Next button.
    Select Profile Options The default is a Common profile for all users; if you are the only person using your computer, this is the best selection for you. If several people share a computer, then you may want to choose Personal. Check with your departmental Local Support Partner (LSP) or contact the ITC Help Desk if you are not sure which to choose.
    Setup Type Accept the default type Complete and click the Next button.
    Select Shortcut Options You should choose to create a program group and desktop shortcut as suggested, and click the Next button.
    Ready to Install the Program Click the Install button.
    InstallShield Wizard Completed Select any desired options and click the Finish button.
  4. IMPORTANT: After you have installed SecureCRT, turn your antivirus and anti-spyware software back on, reconnect your computer to the network, restart your computer, and log in as you normally do.

Using SecureCRT

Initiating a Connection

  1. Launch SecureCRT using its Windows Desktop icon or from the Windows Start menu, select All Programs, then SecureCRT, then SecureCRT again.
  2. In the Connect window that appears, select BLUE.UNIX and click the Connect button.

    Connect window with mouse over Connect button.
  3. If a New Host Key window appears, click the Accept & Save button.

    New Host Key window with mouse over Accept and Save button.
  4. In the Enter SSH Username window that appears, type your computing ID (like mst3k) and click the OK button.

    Enter SSH Username windows with mouse over O K button.
  5. In the Secure Shell Password window that appears, type your blue.unix.virginia.edu password and click the OK button.

    Enter Secure Shell Password window with mouse over O K button.
  6. A BLUE.UNIX SecureCRT session window appears; you can begin using your blue.unix.virginia.edu account in your usual way.

Changing Session Options: Appearance

  1. To change session options, in the Session window click the Session Options button.

    Session window with mouse over Session Options button.
  2. In the Session Options window that appears, select Appearance underneath the Category portion of the window on the left, and in the Window and Text Appearance portion of the window on the right, select the Current Color Scheme dropdown menu and choose Yellow/Black from the resulting list.

    Session Options window with mouse over dropdown list button.
  3. Then in the same window click the Font button; a Font window appears.

    Session Options window with mouse over Font button.
  4. In the Font window that appears, select the Fixedsys font, the Regular font style, and 9 as the font size, then click the OK button and click the OK button again.

    Font window with mouse over O K button.
  5. The appearance of the session window has changed.

    Session window showing new color scheme.

Adding Session Profiles

  1. To connect to a computer other than one already in the list of connections, when you start SecureCRT and the Connect window appears, click the New Session button.

    Connect window with mouse over New Session button.
  2. In the New Session Wizard that appears, leave SSH2 in the Protocol field if you are connecting to most UVa servers, and click the Next button.

    New Session window with mouse over Next button.
  3. In the next New Session window that appears, type the name of the desired server into the Hostname field and your server login ID (like mst3k) into the Username field and click the Next button.

    New Session Wizard window with mouse over Next button.

  4. In the next New Session window that appears, type a descriptive name for the new session into the Session Name field and click the Finish button.

    New Session Wizard window with mouse over Finish button.
  5. In the Connect window that appears, highlight the desired session name and click the Connect button, and continue using SecureCRT as indicated in the Initiating a Connection section earlier in this document.

    Connect window with mouse over Connect button.

© 2008 by the Rector and Visitors of the University of Virginia.

The information contained on the University of Virginia’s Department of Information Technology and Communication (ITC) website is provided as a public service with the understanding that ITC makes no representations or warranties, either expressed or implied, concerning the accuracy, completeness, reliability or suitability of the information, including warrantees of title, non-infringement of copyright or patent rights of others. These pages are expected to represent the University of Virginia community and the State of Virginia in a professional manner in accordance with the University of Virginia’s Computing Policies.