Why does transferring a JAR to an Azure VM with appleboy/scp-action fail with status 1?

Below are a few pointers that may help you pinpoint and resolve the error:

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Possible Causes

1. Path Format and Compatibility
   The error message shows that the target folder is defined using a Windows path (e.g.,
   C:/Users/<user>/Desktop/FreeToGo/Github). However, the underlying SCP process (which packages files using tar) is typically designed for Unix–like systems. This difference could lead to issues when creating directories or writing files.
   Suggestion:
   • If your Azure VM is Windows and you’re using its OpenSSH server, double-check that it supports SCP operations with Windows–style paths. Alternatively, you may need to adjust the path format (for example, using a different syntax like /cygdrive/c/... or using forward slashes) depending on your SSH server configuration.

2. Permissions and Folder Creation
   Although the action is attempting to create the target folder, a failure in directory creation (possibly due to restricted write permissions or policies on the Desktop folder) might cause the process to exit with status 1.
   Suggestion:
   • Connect manually via SSH (or use another method like WinSCP) to verify that the specified user has permission to create folders and write in the target directory.
   • Consider pre–creating the folder on the VM or choosing a target location known to be writable.

3. SSH Server Configuration on the Azure VM
   Windows SSH servers (for example, the one built into Windows 10/Server) might behave differently from typical Linux SSH systems. The SCP service might have additional restrictions or expect certain permissions that are not as apparent.
   Suggestion:
   • Make sure the OpenSSH server on your VM is correctly configured for SCP operations. Check any logs that might be generated by the SSH server to see if there are permission issues or errors during folder creation or file writing.

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Troubleshooting Steps

• Verify Manual Access and Permissions:
  SSH into your VM using the same credentials and try creating a directory and transferring a small test file manually. This ensures that there are no underlying SSH configuration or permission issues on the VM.

• Adjust the Target Path:
  Try modifying your GitHub Action to point to a simpler directory path. For example, if you change the target to something like /home/<user>/transfer (if available) or adjust the Windows path to the proper format for SCP in your environment, that might resolve the issue.

• Review SSH Server Logs:
  Check the logs on your Azure VM for SSH (often found in the event viewer or logs configured for the OpenSSH server) to get more detailed insight into why the file transfer or folder creation might be failing.

• Test with a Different SCP Action or SCP Client:
  If possible, try another GitHub Action or a local SCP command to determine if the issue is with the action itself or your system configuration.

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Example Adjusted Workflow Step

If you are using an Azure Windows VM with OpenSSH properly configured, you might try adjusting the target path. For instance:

YAMLCopied
- name: Transfer JAR to Azure VM
  uses: appleboy/scp-action@v0.1.1
  with:
    host: ${{ secrets.AZURE_VM_IP }}
    username: ${{ secrets.AZURE_VM_USER }}
    password: ${{ secrets.AZURE_VM_PASSWORD }}
    source: FreeToGo-1.0.0.jar
    # Adjust the target path based on your SSH server’s expected format
    target: /cygdrive/c/Users/${{ secrets.AZURE_VM_USER }}/Desktop/FreeToGo/Github
    port: 22
    timeout: 30s
    debug: true

Note: Use this as a starting point; the correct format depends on how the OpenSSH server on your Windows VM handles paths.

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By checking the target path syntax, permissions on the file system, and the SSH server configuration, you should be able to narrow down the cause of the "Process exited with status 1" error. If the issue persists, enabling deeper logging on the SSH server can provide further insights.