Configuring Your Windows System

1. Set Up GitHub Enterprise SSH key

Note: If you already have an SSH key set up in git (for instance, for a personal or work account on github.com), use the steps in Configuring Git to use Multiple Accounts (Windows) instead of those below.

1. Follow these instructions to create a new SSH Key (a special, very secure, key which allows your laptop access to your github account without having to remember your github password)
2. Add your new SSH Key to GitHub Enterprise following these instructions
3. Verify your key works by running the following:

   ssh -T git@git.generalassemb.ly

   You should see output similar to:

   Hi <you>! You've successfully authenticated, but GitHub does not provide shell access. Connection to git.generalassemb.ly closed.

Helpful Debugging Tips

Error installing due to permissions

Permissions issues are common when installing programs on the terminal. In order to install command line utilities, you need to be signed into a user account on your computer with administrator-level rights. If you have trouble with this, please ask a member of the instructional team for help.

Common Issues and Fixes:

• EACCES error: change directory permissions to install Node and npm without the need to use sudo:

  sudo chown -R $(whoami) /usr/local/lib/node_modules

Permission denied (publickey): Use the following command to manually add the key to the keychain:

ssh-add -K ~/.ssh/id_rsa_ga

Then retry your previous command.

• Existing GitHub account that uses SSH (and existing id_rsa file): save your new key as ~/.ssh/id_rsa_ga, and then edit the git config file as follows:

  • In your editor, open your home directory, navigate to the .ssh folder, then open the file named config (if this file doesn't exist, go to the terminal, run touch ~/.ssh/config, then open the file in your editor.)
  • Edit your file using the following as a template:

            # my GitHub account 
            Host personal
              HostName github.com
              User git
              AddKeysToAgent yes
              UseKeychain yes
              IdentityFile ~/.ssh/id_rsa
              IdentitiesOnly yes
        
            # GA github Enterprise
            Host GA   
              HostName git.generalassemb.ly
              User git
              AddKeysToAgent yes
              UseKeychain yes
              IdentityFile ~/.ssh/id_rsa_ga
              IdentitiesOnly yes
            
            # wildcard
            Host *
              AddKeysToAgent yes
              UseKeychain yes
        

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