Git Setup on Windows

Question

Hi Guys,

So on my friends local Windows machine we are trying to setup GIT.

Basically, we've been following this guide which has been great. The problem we are facing is as follows:

1. All works until we get to Using Gitosis
2. When we use the command

git clone git@INSERT_IP_HERE:gitosis-admin.git

We keep getting

Initialized empty Git repository in /home/Thomas/gitosis-admin/.git
Connection closed by IP_HERE
fatal: The remote end hung up unexpectedly

When we try simply

ssh git@IP_HERE

We get "Connection closed by IP_HERE"

If we login as

runas /user:git C:/cygwin/cygwin.bat

And run > ssh git@IP_HERE

We at least get asked for a password then

Last Login: Connection to IP_HERE closed.

Would anyone be able to help ?

Answer 1

Did you get past runnig the gitosis-init < /tmp/id_rsa.pub command?

That error indicates to me that the public key isn't set up properly. The command above initializes gitosis with the first key.

Answer 2

The error does indeed indicate that authentication is failing.

Firstly, open gitosis.conf on the server and check that you are a member of the group containing gitosis-admin repository. It should show something like.

[gitosis]

[group gitosis-admin]
writable = gitosis-admin
members = user1 user2

The member name must match with a public key in /keydir before access can be made.

Secondly, you do not say how you are connecting from the Windows machines. If you are using Git under Cygwin, make sure you are correctly loading the private key. If you are using MsysGit with Putty, be sure to load the private key before connecting as well.

There is a small gotcha if PuttyGen is used to generate key pairs, and that is the default format is different from OpenSSH which you are probably using. Copy and paste from the top window, or alternatively edit the multiline public key file to read like this.

ssh-rsa AAAABB...KEYBODY...ONLkQ== user1

Lastly, make sure port 22 is open in any firewalls if that is indeed the port you are using.

A more comprehensive description of how to set up a Git server with Gitosis on Windows, can be found at here

I recommend the use of MsysGit from windows, as it gives better integration into the Windows environment. TortoiseGit and GitExtensions both use MsysGit as the backend, and provide nice Gui's and explorer shell extensions. GitExtensions full installer will provide the windows user with everything they need.