fatal: protocol error: bad line length character: Pa

Question

I have recently been working with Git in PyCharm.
But when I test the Git URL, it gives me this error:

fatal: protocol error: bad line length character: Pa

The remote repository in on an internal server access through a dedicated account:

anAccount@ourServer:ourRepo

What versions of software are you using? What URL did you test? You should add enough specific detail so that someone can reproduce the problem. — David M, Dec 07 '19 at 01:02
Basically I put debian linux on a Lego Mindstorms EV3 brick and connected it to the internet. I then made a git repo on it, and for the first day it worked but then I kept getting the error in my original post. [link to the linux distro](https://www.ev3dev.org/) — Russell Hynes, Dec 07 '19 at 01:17
Does this answer your question? [Git Remote: Error: fatal: protocol error: bad line length character: Unab](https://stackoverflow.com/questions/8170436/git-remote-error-fatal-protocol-error-bad-line-length-character-unab) — phd, Dec 07 '19 at 11:50
https://stackoverflow.com/search?q=%5Bgit%5D+fatal%3A+protocol+error%3A+bad+line+length+character — phd, Dec 07 '19 at 11:50

VonC · Accepted Answer · 2019-12-07T23:08:24.210

-1

Check first if switching protocol helps:

if the Git URL is https://github.com/..., switch to ssh://git@github.com/...
if the Git URL is git@github.com:..., switch to https://github.com/...

For an SSH URL, try at least to:

generate, for testing, a PEM ssh key, without passphrase
register the public key in yourUser@yourRemoteServer:~/.ssh/authorized_keys (make sure to copy the public key content id_rsa.pub as one line in that authorized_keys files)
make sure to use OpenSSH, not Plink.exe

That is:

set PATH=C:\WINDOWS\system32;C:\WINDOWS;C:\WINDOWS\System32\Wbem;C:\WINDOWS\System32\WindowsPowerShell\v1.0\
set GH=C:\path\to\git
set PATH=%GH%\bin;%GH%\usr\bin;%GH%\cmd;%GH%\mingw64\bin;%PATH%

ssh-keygen -m PEM -t rsa -P "" 
# Copy the %USERPROFILE%\.ssh\id_rsa.pub content to the remote server

edited Dec 07 '19 at 23:08

answered Dec 07 '19 at 08:08

VonC

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It didn't fix it. I am running the git repo locally. – Russell Hynes Dec 07 '19 at 12:48
What is the URL of the remote repository? – VonC Dec 07 '19 at 14:51
OK: that is an SSH URL: Check the .profile/.bashrc file in `~robot` on the `ev3dev` server: if it prints anything (any `echo`), that would be the cause of your issue. – VonC Dec 07 '19 at 17:17
It turns out I am really dumb and don't know how to check the .bashrc/.profile for any errors. Can someone please help – Russell Hynes Dec 07 '19 at 20:56
@RussellHynes It is on the `/home/robot` folder on the `ev3dev` server: once there, do a `source .bashrc` to check if that prints anything. – VonC Dec 07 '19 at 21:38
It gives no ouput. I even did a fresh install of ev3dev and it still gives the same error. It must be an issue on my windows 10 computer. – Russell Hynes Dec 07 '19 at 21:52
@RussellHynes On your Windows 10, do you have a `GIT_SSH` environment variable? – VonC Dec 07 '19 at 22:53
Yes I do have one in my environment variables. It is set to plink.exe from PuTTY – Russell Hynes Dec 07 '19 at 22:59
@RussellHynes Exactly! That is the problem (part of at least). Delete/unset that environment variable. Also is your private key protected by a passphrase? – VonC Dec 07 '19 at 23:03
@RussellHynes I have edited the answer with a step-by-step process. – VonC Dec 07 '19 at 23:08
It is not key protected – Russell Hynes Dec 07 '19 at 23:14
@RussellHynes OK, but did my answer worked? I see you have selected it, but did you test it first? – VonC Dec 07 '19 at 23:15
No I didn't sorry – Russell Hynes Dec 07 '19 at 23:18
In the middle of something – Russell Hynes Dec 07 '19 at 23:18
@RussellHynes No problem. The usual best practice would be to select the answer only if said answer was useful and helped you. – VonC Dec 07 '19 at 23:19

fatal: protocol error: bad line length character: Pa

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