Cloning repositories ends with "fatal: fetch-pack: invalid index-pack output"

[pevogam]

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Hi all, already for days we cannot clone various repositories from Github (so far I haven't isolated this to specific repos) and get the following strange output:

git clone https://github.com//.git
Cloning into ''...
remote: Enumerating objects: 5471, done.
remote: Counting objects: 100% (1099/1099), done.
remote: Compressing objects: 100% (190/190), done.
error: RPC failed; curl 18 transfer closed with outstanding read data remaining
error: 6670 bytes of body are still expected
fetch-pack: unexpected disconnect while reading sideband packet
fatal: early EOF
fatal: fetch-pack: invalid index-pack output

Note that we have tried setting the git HTTP/1.1 version and we still get this a most of the time.

[GabJuarez]

The error you’re encountering (RPC failed; curl 18 transfer closed with outstanding read data remaining) typically happens when there’s an issue with large repository transfers, network instability, or Git’s buffer settings. Here are some steps to troubleshoot and resolve the issue:

1. Increase Git’s Buffer Size
   Sometimes, Git's default buffer size isn't enough for large repositories. Increase it by running:

git config --global http.postBuffer 524288000
This sets the buffer to 500MB. You can increase it further if needed.

2. Force Git to Use HTTP/1.1
   Since you mentioned trying HTTP/1.1, ensure it’s explicitly configured. Run:

git config --global http.version HTTP/1.1
3. Disable Compression
Disabling compression can help with large repositories:

git config --global core.compression 0
4. Check Your Network
Network Stability: Ensure your connection is stable. Try cloning on a different network or using a VPN to bypass potential ISP restrictions.
Firewall/Proxy: If you’re behind a corporate firewall or proxy, check if it’s interfering with Git connections.

5. Clone Over SSH
   If you have SSH access set up, clone the repository using SSH instead of HTTPS:

git clone [email protected]:/.git
6. Partial Clone (Shallow Clone)
If the repository is large, try a shallow clone to only fetch the latest commits:

git clone --depth 1 https://github.com//.git
7. Retry with Fewer Threads
Reduce the number of threads used during the fetch:
git config --global pack.threads "1"

8. Revalidate Repository
   If this issue happens across multiple repositories, it could be a GitHub server issue. Check GitHub’s status page for ongoing outages or degraded performance.