{"id":1486,"date":"2018-12-10T17:17:12","date_gmt":"2018-12-10T17:17:12","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/ri.itservices.manchester.ac.uk\/csf3\/?page_id=1486"},"modified":"2026-07-28T09:13:32","modified_gmt":"2026-07-28T08:13:32","slug":"gui-apps","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/ri.itservices.manchester.ac.uk\/csf3\/getting-started\/connecting\/gui-apps\/","title":{"rendered":"Logging in using File-transfer apps"},"content":{"rendered":"
\nYou MUST request an account on the CSF<\/a> BEFORE you try to log in<\/strong>\n<\/div>\n

Log in is with your UoM IT username (not<\/em> email) and IT password (the same as used for many UoM services) via SSH to csf3.itservices.manchester.ac.uk<\/code><\/p>\n

GUI Tools<\/h2>\n

We recommend using the free MobaXterm<\/a> application for file-transfers to\/from the CSF and also for your day-to-day command-line access to it. Hence this tool provides everything you need to use the CSF! You may also want to use the free WinSCP<\/a> tool which is an easy-to-use file-transfer app.<\/p>\n

MobaXterm File Transfers<\/h2>\n

For help with downloading, installing and logging in to the CSF using MobaXterm please see our logging in guide<\/a>. <\/p>\n

Once you have logged in your can drag-n-drop files to your CSF home-directory using the file-browser in the MobaXterm window. By default it will show the contents of your CSF home<\/em> directory. Alternatively you can use the upload and download buttons. See the image below.
\n\"MobaXterm<\/a><\/p>\n

Accessing your Scratch area in MobaXterm<\/h3>\n

The MobaXterm file-browser will show a list of sub-directories (folders) in your CSF home<\/em> area. You might expect your scratch<\/em> folder to appear here. However, MobaXterm displays this using a file<\/em> icon further down the list (the list is sorted alphabetically). Hence the scratch<\/em> area is accessible by scrolling down the list and clicking on the scratch<\/em> file icon.<\/p>\n

Alternatively, type the full path to your scratch area in to the file-browser location, using:<\/p>\n

\r\n\/scratch\/username<\/em>\r\n<\/pre>\n
where username<\/em><\/code> is your CSF username.<\/p>\n
The image below shows these two methods of accessing your scratch area.
\n\"MobaXterm<\/a><\/p>\n
WinSCP<\/h2>\n
The free WinSCP<\/a> tool allows files to be transferred to and from the CSF using a drag-n-drop interface. It may already be installed if using a campus cluster PC. You can also download and install for free on your own computer. The instructions below assume you have an installed version on the PC you are using.<\/p>\n
We’ll set up a CSF session in WinSCP so that you only need to type the settings in once:<\/p>\n
    \n
  1. Start the WinSCP<\/strong> program from the Start menu.<\/li>\n
  2. You only need to do steps 2 & 3 the first time you start WinSCP on this PC. If you’ve already done the following step, jump to Step 4<\/a>. Otherwise fill in the details as shown below:\n