Git failed with a fatal error.Authentication failed when clone repository from VS 2017

Question

We have an on-premise installation of TFS 2018 running. On all but one workspaces we can work fine with the TFS-Git repository. On one workplace there is an issue with authentication.

While cloning the repository from Visual Studio, Team Explorer shows this error:

Git failed with a fatal error. Authentication failed for 'http://tfs-2018:8080/tfs/cadclickcollection/CADClick%20Projects/_git/ccCatalog/'

On the command line, cloning is working great.

I tried already to log during a clone process and I can see only one significant difference.

I also tried by Removing the TFS related credentials from Credential Manager

Using Visual Studio Professional 2017 15.9.13

Answer 1

I'm using Visual Studio 2019 but I had the same "Git failed with a fatal error. Authentication failed for" error.

My issue was the credential manager. In Visual Studio I picked Tools > Options. In the Options dialog under Source Control > Git Global Settings I updated the Credential helper from Unset to GCM for Windows.

The error went away and my pulls started working again.

Answer 2

I don't know if you've solve your issue (I hope), but if it's not the case, have you tried to:

1. uncheck the "Git for Windows" checkbox in Visual Studio Installer
2. uninstall git (for me it was version 2.21.0)
3. uninstall other git apps (for me it was GitKraken and SourceTree)
4. delete all git and tfs credentials via the credential manager
5. reboot (just in case)
6. install git
7. launch visual studio and connect to the TFS server (you'll have to re-enter your credentials)
8. clone your project

It's a bit overkill, but for me it worked.