git-cmd.exe | git-bash.exe seems unable to write anything to my disk.

[edwinscode]

Existing issues matching what you're seeing

• I was not able to find an open or closed issue matching what I'm seeing

Git for Windows version

D:\Dev\test>git version --build-options
23:54:12.347713 exec-cmd.c:266          trace: resolved executable dir: D:/Program Files/Git/PortableGit/mingw64/bin
23:54:12.347713 git.c:476               trace: built-in: git version --build-options
git version 2.50.0.windows.1
cpu: x86_64
built from commit: 311e67dc2479debe725dfb9a3f974bdce04644ea
sizeof-long: 4
sizeof-size_t: 8
shell-path: D:/git-sdk-64-build-installers/usr/bin/sh
feature: fsmonitor--daemon
libcurl: 8.14.1
OpenSSL: OpenSSL 3.2.4 11 Feb 2025
zlib: 1.3.1
SHA-1: SHA1_DC
SHA-256: SHA256_BLK

Windows version

Other

Windows CPU architecture

x86_64 (64-bit)

Additional Windows version information

C:\Users\Administrator>ver

Microsoft Windows [Version 10.0.14393]

Options set during installation

i use PortableGit-2.50.0-64-bit.7z.exe, no installation is needed, i assume.

Other interesting things

my env/setting:

• os: Microsof Windows Server 2016 (running under esxi 6.7)
• using local Administrator account
• not using network drive nor symbolic link
• no permission issue on the driver or folder; (full control is given by default)
• no speical config on local group policy nor disabling some Windows default services (except windows udpate);
• git: PortableGit-2.50.0-64-bit.7z.exe

the git-bash.exe can touch file & write value into it.
but almost every other fucntions of git-cmd.exe | git-bash.exe that reuqired writing is not working.

and it does create .git under the directory, and it won't be able to push / commit.

the os is very clean, almost nothing is installed:

I try asking Copilot & Gemini

obviously, AI can't help me out of this after few days trying.

please don't tell me to reinstall os, i know the git can works in my other VM like windows 10.

Terminal/shell

git-cmd.exe | git-bash.exe

Commands that trigger the issue

git init

Expected behaviour

no error should be occured.

Actual behaviour

D:\Program Files\Git\PortableGit>cd D:\Dev\test

D:\Dev\test>git init
23:54:05.769562 exec-cmd.c:266 trace: resolved executable dir: D:/Program Files/Git/PortableGit/mingw64/bin
23:54:05.769562 git.c:476 trace: built-in: git init
error: could not write config file D:/Dev/test/.git/config: Function not implemented
fatal: could not set 'core.repositoryformatversion' to '0'

Repository

No response

[edwinscode]

in case anyone wants to know, i already try below methods suggested by Gemini

You're running Windows Server 2016, and the "Function not implemented" error suggests that Git is encountering issues with fundamental file system operations. While Git itself doesn't require specific Windows services or roles to be enabled in the typical sense (like IIS or Active Directory), certain local policies or security configurations on a hardened server environment can definitely interfere.

Here's a breakdown of common areas to check and what to consider on Windows Server 2016 with local policies:

Key Areas to Check for Git Compatibility:

1. File System Permissions (Most Likely Culprit):

   • Problem: This is the most frequent cause of "Function not implemented" and "could not write config file" errors. Stricter local policies or Group Policies on a server can limit what even an administrator account can do by default, or they might prevent applications from writing to certain locations.
   • What to check:
     • Verify Permissions on the Target Directory: Go to D:\Dev\test (or the parent D:\Dev if test doesn't exist). Right-click -> Properties -> Security. Ensure the user account you're running Git as (or the Administrators group if you're logged in as an admin) has Full Control or at least Modify and Write permissions.
     • Inheritance: Make sure permissions are correctly inherited down the folder structure.
     • Antivirus/DLP: Enterprise antivirus or Data Loss Prevention (DLP) solutions can sometimes be very aggressive and block file system writes from applications they don't explicitly trust. Temporarily disabling them for testing (if safe and allowed by your IT policies) can help diagnose.

2. Long Path Support:

   • Problem: While Windows Server 2016 supports long paths, it might not be enabled by default. Git repositories, especially those with deeply nested files or long file names, can exceed the historical 260-character MAX_PATH limit. This can lead to various file operation errors, though "Function not implemented" is less common for this specific issue than "Filename too long."
   • What to check/enable:
     • Registry Setting:
       1. Open regedit.exe.
       2. Navigate to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\FileSystem.
       3. Look for a DWORD value named LongPathsEnabled. If it doesn't exist, create it.
       4. Set its value to 1.
       5. Restart the server for the change to take full effect (or at least log off and back on).
     • Git Configuration: After enabling the registry setting, you should also configure Git to use it:

       git config --system core.longpaths true

       (Run this from an elevated Git Bash or Command Prompt.)

3. PowerShell Execution Policy (if you're using Git within PowerShell scripts):

   • Problem: If you intend to use Git commands within PowerShell scripts, the PowerShell Execution Policy might be set restrictively (e.g., Restricted or AllSigned without proper signing). While this doesn't directly affect git init itself (which is a native executable), it will block any PowerShell scripts that interact with Git.
   • What to check/configure:
     • Open PowerShell as an Administrator.
     • Check the current policy: Get-ExecutionPolicy -List
     • If it's too restrictive for your needs (e.g., Restricted for LocalMachine or CurrentUser), you might need to change it. A common setting for development is RemoteSigned for LocalMachine or CurrentUser:

       Set-ExecutionPolicy RemoteSigned -Scope LocalMachine

       Caution: Modifying execution policies has security implications. Understand the risks and follow your organization's security guidelines.

4. User Account Control (UAC) / Administrator Privileges:

   • Problem: Even if your user account is an administrator, UAC can still prompt for elevation or virtualize writes to protected areas. When you get "Function not implemented," it often means the attempted write was to a location where the process didn't have sufficient privileges.
   • What to do:
     • Always try running your command prompt, PowerShell, or Git Bash "As Administrator" when performing Git operations that modify global configurations or initialize repositories in system-controlled locations. This is generally good practice on server OSes.

5. Windows Defender/Firewall:

   • Problem: While unlikely to cause a git init error directly, if you're planning to clone/push/pull from remote repositories, ensure Windows Firewall isn't blocking outgoing connections on standard Git ports (SSH: 22, HTTPS: 443, Git protocol: 9418).
   • What to check: Verify outbound rules in Windows Defender Firewall with Advanced Security.

6. Disk Quotas / Disk Space:

   • Problem: If disk quotas are enabled for your user or the drive is critically low on space, Git might fail to create files.
   • What to check: Verify available disk space on the D: drive and check for any enabled disk quotas.

Windows Components & Services:

Git itself (Git for Windows) is a self-contained application that doesn't rely on specific Windows Server roles or features like "Web Server (IIS)" or "Active Directory Domain Services" unless you're trying to set up a Git server on that machine (which is a different scenario than just using Git as a client).

• Required Services: No special Windows services need to be enabled for Git to function as a client. It leverages standard file system and networking APIs provided by the OS.
• Optional Components (often included with Git for Windows):
  • OpenSSH Client: Git for Windows often bundles its own SSH client (from MinGW/MSYS2). If you choose to use the native Windows OpenSSH client (which is a Windows optional feature), ensure it's installed and configured correctly if you plan to use SSH for Git operations.
  • MinTTY/Git Bash: The Git for Windows installer typically includes Git Bash, which is a shell environment that provides a Unix-like experience and is generally recommended for using Git commands on Windows. It also includes curl, openssl, etc.

In summary, for your "Function not implemented" error on Windows Server 2016:

The most immediate troubleshooting steps should focus on:

1. Running your terminal/IDE as Administrator.
2. Verifying NTFS permissions for the D:\Dev\test directory to ensure your user account has full read/write access.
3. Checking for antivirus/DLP interference.

After that, consider enabling Long Path Support if you anticipate working with deeply nested repositories. No other specific Windows services or components are typically required for Git client functionality.