# How to safely remove a blob 4 messages from 2011-02-15 to 2011-02-15. Participants: Rolf Wester, Alex Riesen, Michael J Gruber. Thread: https://gitlist.dev/t/26506 ## Rolf Wester, 2011-02-15 08:13 Subject: How to safely remove a blob Message-ID: <4D5A358F.2050906@ilt.fraunhofer.de> URL: https://gitlist.dev/e/4D5A358F.2050906%40ilt.fraunhofer.de ``` Hello, in one of my git repos I found an 102 MB object that probably came in there more or less occasionally. Its a blob and I would like to remove it safely. I tried to figure out how to do it but I was not very successful. I guess simply deleting the file could corrupt my repo or at least the clones of that repo. I would be very appreciative for any help. With kind regards Rolf -- ------------------------------------ # Dr. Rolf Wester # Fraunhofer Institut f. Lasertechnik # Steinbachstrasse 15, D-52074 Aachen, Germany. # Tel: + 49 (0) 241 8906 401, Fax: +49 (0) 241 8906 121 # EMail: rolf.wester@ilt.fraunhofer.de # WWW: http://www.ilt.fraunhofer.de ``` ## Alex Riesen, 2011-02-15 08:40 Subject: Re: How to safely remove a blob Message-ID: URL: https://gitlist.dev/e/AANLkTinrV3hKEva5qnaLniP%2BVoO2trrTVsWcc6YoBQ%3Dt%40mail.gmail.com In-Reply-To: <4D5A358F.2050906@ilt.fraunhofer.de> ``` On Tue, Feb 15, 2011 at 09:13, Rolf Wester wrote: > in one of my git repos I found an 102 MB object that probably came in there > more or less occasionally. > Its a blob and I would like to remove it safely. I tried to figure out how > to do it but I was not very successful. Take a look at "git filter-branch". There is even an example which does exactly this (search for "git filter-branch --tree-filter"). > I guess simply deleting the file could corrupt my repo > or at least the clones of that repo. The repo itself. ``` ## Michael J Gruber, 2011-02-15 08:40 Subject: Re: How to safely remove a blob Message-ID: <4D5A3C1B.2030600@drmicha.warpmail.net> URL: https://gitlist.dev/e/4D5A3C1B.2030600%40drmicha.warpmail.net In-Reply-To: <4D5A358F.2050906@ilt.fraunhofer.de> ``` Rolf Wester venit, vidit, dixit 15.02.2011 09:13: > Hello, > > in one of my git repos I found an 102 MB object that probably came in there more or less occasionally. > Its a blob and I would like to remove it safely. I tried to figure out how to do it but I was > not very successful. I guess simply deleting the file could corrupt my repo or at least the clones of > that repo. > > I would be very appreciative for any help. If nothing references that blob then it will go away eventually. The last section of git-filter-branch's manpage (checklist for shrinking a repo) details the steps you can take to get rid of it now. (You should be already in the situation after applying filter-branch and removing refs/original/*.) If the blob still persists then it is referenced. Michael ``` ## Alex Riesen, 2011-02-15 08:42 Subject: Re: How to safely remove a blob Message-ID: URL: https://gitlist.dev/e/AANLkTi%3DN15_2aDbw%3Dx_m6rPWYdgwcBkn0LvmtZVt2W48%40mail.gmail.com In-Reply-To: ``` On Tue, Feb 15, 2011 at 09:40, Alex Riesen wrote: > On Tue, Feb 15, 2011 at 09:13, Rolf Wester > wrote: >> in one of my git repos I found an 102 MB object that probably came in there >> more or less occasionally. >> Its a blob and I would like to remove it safely. I tried to figure out how >> to do it but I was not very successful. > > Take a look at "git filter-branch". There is even an example which > does exactly this (search for "git filter-branch --tree-filter"). ... search in the manpage of filter-branch. Sorry. ```