# Re: Error during git gc 1 messages from 2009-05-27 to 2009-05-27. Participants: Matthieu Moy. Thread: https://gitlist.dev/t/19527 ## Matthieu Moy, 2009-05-27 15:03 Subject: Re: Error during git gc Message-ID: URL: https://gitlist.dev/e/vpq63fmtwoc.fsf%40bauges.imag.fr In-Reply-To: ``` (please, keep the Git list in copy, and don't top-post) "David Forman" writes: > Hi Matthieu, > > Thanks for the quick reply. Silly me, I was thinking it was an authorization > issue or something. Now I understand (I think) that the issue is, it's > trying to access these files, but they don't exist. I can't seem to find the > '~' files anywhere in the project or .git folder. Is there a spot where > these names are registered that I can remove them so Git doesn't look for > them? Maybe in .git/packed-refs, but I think (or thought !) that Git found these files only by listing directories. > -----Original Message----- > From: Matthieu Moy [mailto:Matthieu.Moy@imag.fr] > Sent: Wednesday, May 27, 2009 9:00 AM > To: David Forman > Cc: git@vger.kernel.org > Subject: Re: Error during git gc > > > (please provide a Subject: line) > > "David Forman" writes: > >> I've encountered the following whenever I access Git and try to compress > the >> database due to loose objects. >> >> error: cannot lock ref 'HEAD~' >> error: cannot lock ref 'refs/heads/collections~' >> error: cannot lock ref 'refs/heads/master~' > > I'd say you've edited the files .git/HEAD, refs/heads/collections, ... > manually with a text editor that leaves ~ backup files. Unless you > _really_ have branches called collections~ and master~, you can move > these three files (in a temporary folder, or to trash if you're > confident enough). -- Matthieu ```