Git repository lost its remote branches?

Question

I have a git repository that has a remote set up (\"git fetch\" works), but it doesn\'t have any remote branches: the \".git/refs/remotes\" folder doesn\'t

Answer 1

[Edit, April 2017] If you made your original clone with --single-branch, your remote.origin.fetch setting will be the problem. If you used a --depth limit, that too implies --single-branch. Restore the normal remote.origin.fetch value described below and you will get a fuller clone.

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Normally, just running git fetch should restore your remote-tracking branches.

If git fetch is not restoring them, then I wonder: what goes git config --get-all remote.origin.fetch print? (This assumes the remote is named origin; if not, substitute the actual name.) It should be set to +refs/heads/*:refs/remotes/origin/* (again assuming the name origin). Special cases (such as fetching notes) might add more lines.