How to Set an Invariable Path for Git.exe in TortoiseGit Without Losing Your Settings

Struggling with TortoiseGit resetting your Git.exe path? Discover how to maintain a stable path for your Git installation, even with network storage issues.
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This video is based on the question https://stackoverflow.com/q/72197225/ asked by the user 'dahaze' ( https://stackoverflow.com/u/18148904/ ) and on the answer https://stackoverflow.com/a/72197398/ provided by the user 'MrTux' ( https://stackoverflow.com/u/3906760/ ) at 'Stack Overflow' website. Thanks to these great users and Stackexchange community for their contributions.

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How to Set an Invariable Path for Git.exe in TortoiseGit

If you've been working with TortoiseGit, you may have encountered a frustrating issue where the software resets the path to your git.exe to a default installation location. This can happen particularly when you're using a network storage location for your Git executable and the network drive isn't always available. In this guide, we will break down the problem and explore some potential solutions to keep your Git path stable and invariable.

The Problem

You are using TortoiseGit version 2.11.0, and your PATH variable is pointing to a standard installation at C:\Program Files.... Due to system rights, you cannot change this path. However, your git.exe file is located on a network storage location which you've configured in TortoiseGit's options dialog. While everything works well when the network drive is accessible, there are times when:

The network storage is unavailable.

TortoiseGit starts before the network drive is connected.

When these situations occur, TortoiseGit resets the path to the standard Git installation. Thus, you are looking for a way to set the path to git.exe to an invariable destination, so that TortoiseGit doesn’t automatically change it back when the source is unavailable.

Understanding TortoiseGit Behavior

As of TortoiseGit version 2.13, there's a known issue regarding the detection of the git.exe path. Here are some key points to understand this behavior:

Git.exe Detection Mechanism: TortoiseGit attempts to automatically detect the git.exe installation path. If it can't find a configured git.exe, it looks for the default installation path of Git for Windows.

Registry Storage: The path to git.exe is stored in the Windows registry at HKEY_CURRENT_USER\SOFTWARE\TortoiseGit\MSysGit. This means if TortoiseGit cannot access the network path, it will revert to the default path.

Conflicting Installations: Having multiple Git installations on the system can add to the confusion. Ensure no other installations interfere with TortoiseGit's path detection.

A Potential Solution

While there's currently no way to disable the automatic detection mechanism in TortoiseGit, you can explore the following workaround to maintain your desired path:

Registry File Method

Create a .reg File: You can create a registry file that sets the git path back to the network location. Below are the steps to create this .reg file:

[[See Video to Reveal this Text or Code Snippet]]

Use the .reg File: Whenever TortoiseGit resets the path, you can simply run this .reg file to restore your preferred setting.

Recommendations

Disable Conflicting Git Installations: Uninstall or disable any other Git installations on your system that could confuse TortoiseGit's mechanisms.

Monitor Network Availability: If possible, ensure that the network drive is mounted and ready before starting TortoiseGit. This can help prevent unexpected resets.

Conclusion

While the automatic detection of git.exe in TortoiseGit may pose some inconvenience, with understanding its functioning and implementing a registry file solution, you can maintain a more stable git path. Remember to regularly check your system for conflicting Git installations, and ensure that your network drive is accessible before launching TortoiseGit. Happy coding!

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