How to Download a Backup File from Proxmox to Windows Using SCP or SFTP
If you have a backup file on your Proxmox server and want to download it to your Windows Desktop, you can use either SCP or SFTP. Follow this guide to transfer the file safely.
Step 1: Locate the Backup File on Proxmox
By default, Proxmox stores backups in:
/var/lib/vz/dump/
You can verify the file location by connecting to your Proxmox server via SSH and running:
ls -lh /var/lib/vz/dump/
Example output:
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 1.2G Mar 8 03:48 vzdump-lxc-100-2025_03_08-03_48_15.tar.zst
Step 2: Download the File Using SCP (Recommended)
On your Windows machine, open Command Prompt (Win + R, then type cmd).
Use the following SCP command:
scp root@your-proxmox-ip:/var/lib/vz/dump/vzdump-lxc-100-2025_03_08-03_48_15.tar.zst C:\Users\YourUsername\Desktop\
Replace:
- your-proxmox-ip with your Proxmox server’s IP address.
- YourUsername with your actual Windows username.
If prompted, enter your Proxmox password to start the transfer.
Step 3: Alternative - Download Using SFTP (If SCP Fails)
If SCP does not work, use SFTP:
- Open Command Prompt and enter:
sftp root@your-proxmox-ip
- Navigate to the backup directory:
cd /var/lib/vz/dump/
- Download the backup file:
get vzdump-lxc-100-2025_03_08-03_48_15.tar.zst C:\Users\YourUsername\Desktop\
- Exit SFTP:
exit
Step 4: Verify the File
Once the transfer is complete, check your Windows Desktop to ensure the file is there. If the transfer was interrupted, you can resume using:
rsync -avz root@your-proxmox-ip:/var/lib/vz/dump/vzdump-lxc-100-2025_03_08-03_48_15.tar.zst C:\Users\YourUsername\Desktop\
Final Notes
- Ensure OpenSSH is installed on your Windows system for SCP/SFTP to work.
- If using Putty, you can use PSCP.exe instead of SCP.
- For GUI-based file transfers, consider using WinSCP.