SSH can't find id_rsa and id_rsa.pub files on Windows 10

Question

id_rsa and id_rsa.pub are located in K:\Batch\mySSH, with script K:\Batch\mySSH\runme.cmd being called from Excel (via VBA), containing the following:

pushd %~dp0
  set home=%CD:~0,2%\Batch\mySSH
  %home%\ssh -v -o LogLevel=Verbose user@11.111.111.11 "do something"
popd

• runme.cmd output:

  OpenSSH_for_Windows_8.1p1, LibreSSL 2.9.2
  debug1: Connecting to 11.111.111.11 [11.111.111.11] port 22.
  debug1: Connection established.
  debug1: identity file C:\Users\johnDoe/.ssh/id_rsa type -1
  ...
  debug1: pubkey_prepare: ssh_get_authentication_socket: No such file or directory
  debug1: Will attempt key: C:\Users\johnDoe/.ssh/id_rsa
  ...
  debug1: Next authentication method: publickey
  debug1: Trying private key: C:\Users\johnDoe/.ssh/id_rsa
  

How do I ensure it looks for K:\Batch\mySSH\.ssh\id_rsa, instead of targeting C:\Users\johnDoe\.ssh?

Answer 1

Ensure the -i parameter is used to specify your identity file; for instance change:

• From:

  %home%\ssh -v -o LogLevel=Verbose user@11.111.111.11 "do something"
  

  To:

  %home%\ssh -v -o LogLevel=Verbose user@11.111.111.11 -i id_rsa "do something"