diff --git a/doc/tips/what_to_do_when_a_repository_is_corrupted.mdwn b/doc/tips/what_to_do_when_a_repository_is_corrupted.mdwn new file mode 100644 index 0000000000..80cb046d90 --- /dev/null +++ b/doc/tips/what_to_do_when_a_repository_is_corrupted.mdwn @@ -0,0 +1,22 @@ +A git-annex repository on a removable USB drive is great, until the cable +falls out at the wrong time and git's repository gets trashed. The way +git checksums everything and the poor quality of USB media makes this +perhaps more likely than you would expect. If this happens to you, +here's a way to recover that makes the most of whatever data is left +on the drive. + +* First, run `git fsck`. If it does not report any problems, your data + is fine, and you don't need to proceed further. +* So `git fsck` says the git repository is corrupted. But probably the data + git-annex stored is fine. Your first step is to clone another copy + of the git repository from somewhere else. Let's call this clone + "$good", and the corrupted repository "$bad". +* Preserve your git configuration changes, and the `annex.uuid` setting: + `mv $bad/.git/config $good/.git/config` +* Move annexed data into the new repository: `mkdir $good/.git/annex; mv + $bad/.git/annex/objects $good/.git/annex/objects` +* Reinitalize git-annex: `cd $good; git annex init` +* Check for any problems with the annexed data: `cd $good; git annex fsck` +* Now you can remove the corrupted repository, the new one is ready to use. + +--[[Joey]]