Git cannot be used under system account.

[vharavy]

When I attempt to run Git from Windows command line under Windows system account (e.g. psexec /s /i cmd and then git pull from command prompt) I get the following error:

C:\Projects\Test>git pull
Could not create directory '/home/SYSTEM/.ssh'

With MSYSGit run under system account all paths defaulted to C:\Program Files (x86)\Git (e.g. C:\Program Files (x86)\Git\.ssh\known_hosts).

[dscho]

Does this account not have a proper %USERPROFILE%?

[vharavy]

This is what I get:

C:\Windows\system32>echo %USERPROFILE%
C:\Windows\system32\config\systemprofile

C:\Windows\system32>echo %APPDATA%
C:\Windows\system32\config\systemprofile\AppData\Roaming

C:\Windows\system32>echo %LOCALAPPDATA%
C:\Windows\system32\config\systemprofile\AppData\Local

[kostix]

On a side note, running Git under the system account is really ill-considered. @vharavy, consider creating a dedicated regular local user account for this task or at least using LOCAL SERVICE account rather than LOCAL SYSTEM.

[dscho]

Not that I think it is a good idea, but now I am curious to know just how you get to run Git Bash as SYSTEM?

[kostix]

@dscho, psexec is a tool from the (must-have IMO) suite called Sysinternals.

When run with the -s command-line option and without the remote host to connect to, it spawns the specified command locally using the system account.

You must be an administrator, of course.

[dscho]

Thanks @kostix; I knew about the Sysinternals tools, of course (I use them extensively when debugging Git for Windows issues), but somehow I doubt that @vharavy used psexec.

[kostix]

@dscho, surely they did -- re-read the original bug report ;-)

[dscho]

Whoops, you're correct. Somehow it did not register that the PSTools were used. FWIW this is what I get:

me@work $ whoami
SYSTEM
me@work $ cd
me@work $ pwd -W
C:/windows/system32/config/systemprofile
me@work $

[dscho]

Ah, but ssh sees the wrong home directory:

me@work $ ssh [email protected]
Could not create directory '/home/SYSTEM/.ssh'.
The authenticity of host 'bitbucket.org (131.103.20.168)' can't be established.
RSA key fingerprint is SHA256:zzXQOXSRBEiUtuE8AikJYKwbHaxvSc0ojez9YXaGp1A.
Are you sure you want to continue connecting (yes/no)?

[vharavy]

Originally the problem was encountered when I tried to upgrade Git on Windows machine running Jenkins Slave installed as a service under local system account.

[dscho]

Ah, now that makes sense! Thanks for that information!

FWIW I am in the middle of debugging why the home directory is wrong (as far as ssh is concerned, as I demonstrated $HOME is fine).

[dscho]

BTW please feel generous about providing such background information in future bug reports. It really helps assess the priorities.