fatal: ''<path>'' does not appear to be a git repository

[luckerby]

"OpenSSH for Windows" version
7.7.2.0

Server OperatingSystem
Windows Server 2016 Standard

Client OperatingSystem
Windows 10 Version 1803 (OS Build 17134.167)

Expected output
$ git clone user@opensshserver:c:/ScriptRepo
Cloning into 'ScriptRepo'...
remote: Counting objects: 10, done.
remote: Total 10 (delta 0), reused 0 (delta 0), pack-reused 10
Unpacking objects: 100% (10/10), done.

Actual output
$ git clone user@opensshserver:c:/ScriptRepo
Cloning into 'ScriptRepo'...
fatal: ''c:/ScriptRepo'' does not appear to be a git repository
fatal: Could not read from remote repository.

This issue has been discussed previously here, and the mentioned workaround works just fine once a remote is created. However this needs to be applied on each client machine, and it also prevents simple commands such as git clone - given that the setting of invoking powershell along with git-upload-pack can only be done once the remote has been created. Is there a plan to have this fixed, or is a way to specify the "default shell" that's "passed" along as being Powershell, thus solving the double single-quote issue ?

[bingbing8]

@luckerby, as far as I remember, powershell can interpret the single quoted string. If you config powershell as default shell on the server side, I expect that you don't need to apply the workaround.

[bingbing8]

@luckerby, I tried to set the defaultShell, no need to apply the workaround:

git clone remoteMachine:D:\test\mytest.git
Cloning into 'mytest'...
domain\user@localhost's password:
warning: You appear to have cloned an empty repository.

[doggy8088]

@bingbing8 I tried your workaround. The server return:

fatal: the remote end hung up unexpectedly
fatal: the remote end hung up unexpectedly

I turned on debugging environment variables and git clone again:

set GIT_TRACE_PACKET=1
set GIT_TRACE=1
set GIT_CURL_VERBOSE=1
git clone user@ip.add.ress:c:/456.git

I've got this:

19:21:03.324897 exec-cmd.c:236          trace: resolved executable dir: C:/Program Files/Git/mingw64/bin
19:21:03.325880 git.c:415               trace: built-in: git clone user@ip.add.ress:c:/456.git
Cloning into '456'...
19:21:03.369851 run-command.c:637       trace: run_command: unset GIT_DIR; ssh user@ip.add.ress 'git-upload-pack '\''c:/456.git'\'''
user@ip.add.ress's password:
19:21:17.086565 pkt-line.c:80           packet:        clone< 5305d8945047e26d4fc6005768f3478a22be6d79 HEAD\0multi_ack thin-pack side-band side-band-64k ofs-delta shallow deepen-since deepen-not deepen-relative no-progress include-tag multi_ack_detailed symref=HEAD:refs/heads/master agent=git/2.19.1.windows.1
19:21:17.086565 pkt-line.c:80           packet:        clone< 5305d8945047e26d4fc6005768f3478a22be6d79 refs/heads/master
19:21:17.086565 pkt-line.c:80           packet:        clone< 0000
19:21:17.095052 pkt-line.c:80           packet:        clone> want 5305d8945047e26d4fc6005768f3478a22be6d79 multi_ack_detailed side-band-64k thin-pack ofs-delta deepen-since deepen-not agent=git/2.19.1.windows.1
19:21:17.095052 pkt-line.c:80           packet:        clone> want 5305d8945047e26d4fc6005768f3478a22be6d79
19:21:17.095052 pkt-line.c:80           packet:        clone> 0000
19:21:17.095052 pkt-line.c:80           packet:        clone> done
fatal: the remote end hung up unexpectedly
fatal: the remote end hung up unexpectedly

Do you know what's going on?

[bingbing8]

@doggy8088, setting to powershell works for me.

[luckerby]

@luckerby, I tried to set the defaultShell, no need to apply the workaround:

git clone remoteMachine:D:\test\mytest.git
Cloning into 'mytest'...
domain\user@localhost's password:
warning: You appear to have cloned an empty repository.

@bingbing8, sorry for the late reply. Your solution works perfectly - just tested. Extra bonus point - Jenkins can now connect to OpenSSH for git integration; I wouldn't have been able to apply the previous workaround in the Jenkins git dialog.

[shishelmishel]

@doggy8088, i have a same problem after install PowerShell as a default shell, it is not work :(
I have trying different shells and /usr/bin/bash.exe from "git for Windows" packet works fine!
Hope it helps someone

[EdwinCloud101]

I didn't try with PowerShell as suggested, I'm sure it works. However, I would like to keep using GitBash and be able to make the clone remote work. Any direction is appreciated.

[vito0719]

My problem is this:

fatal: '/F:/Path/To/Repo.git' does not appear to be a git repository

It seems to me the "/" before F is the problem...

Why are you able to use "git clone user@opensshserver:c:/ScriptRepo"? I have to put "/" in front of my drive to connect...

[luisd1360]

Hello, I tried to change the defaultshell to powerShell but every time I did the service stoped working, then It did not work again until I change the registry back and rebooted.

[maertendMSFT]

We recommend using PowerShell, or if you need to use Bash, use the copy of SSH that comes with git