digital ocean -- issue!

[bruce]

Hi.

I realize this might be off topic, but here goes.

I'm testing digitalocean (DO) for the creation of an initial droplet
running apache, as well as being able to "completely" clone the
droplet, to be able to have multiple copies of the "droplet" running
at the same time if I wish.

The base droplet consists of (more or less):
 base ubuntu for the latest OS/version 10?
 modified users -- /etc/passwd  -- modified /etc/ssh/sshd_config as
well as subdir files
 updated/modified OS files via apt install

The process to test the "clone" task
create the initial droplet/make mods..
  once this works...
create the "snapshot"
use the snapshot to then create the "newDroplet"
start the newDroplet, running the "Console" to test
   Console should display with the "login" prompt!

if Console wors, droplet is lie and can be accessed....

I've been trying this for a week now. No success

The process of deploying/running the "Console" from the DO
platform/site shows the Console window, but never connects!!

I did manage to get it to "connect" once/twice, but the
passwd/sshd_config files didn't match the initial droplet!!!!

I've been screaming (not literally) with the DO support to try to
figure out what the issue(s) might be. No luck at all.

Searches via google indicate others have had similar issues, but no
actual solution.

So, I'm wondering if anyone here has seen anything like this, or
perhaps has any thoughts on things I might try, paths I might take.

Oh, I can ping the new droplet.

I can also ssh -vvv user1 at foo
 and the reply returns debug statements but stops on connecting to the
remote droplet!

thanks for looking, and any replies!