How can I choose to overwrite remote repository with local commits?

Question

Basically, due to events beyond my control, my remote repo was moved - I did a lot of work on my local copy in the meantime and now I really just want to overwrite everything in the remote repo with my local files.

However, I don't seem to be able to do this. The closest I can get is to pull and merge, but then it wants to walk me through some convoluted process for merging. I don't want to merge. I want to overwrite. I don't need a new branch - basically, I just want a fresh start.

The remote repo is on unfuddle.

Answer 1

You can remove the branch and recreate it, let's say the branch that you want to overwrite is dev:

Remove the branch in your remote host(github)

git push origin :dev  

Then just push your dev again:

git push origin dev

I use Github for hosting, not familiar with unfuddle, but I think it'll works for the unfuddle, too. :)

---

Just as @melee mentioned, you can also use

git push origin dev -f

(not sure whether the -f is valid, but --force is OK)

git push origin dev --force

to force overwrite the branch. I remember I did it before. Thanks @melee. :)

Answer 2

I'm not an expert in github ecosystem, but why can't you just reset your remote repository url?

git remote set-url origin /path/to/your/new/remote/repository/url

You might also need to configure your up-stream branch by looking in here.

for more on git remote..., please take a look here.

Answer 3

Add remote repo if hadn't:

git remote add <remote-name> <remote-repo>

git push --set-upstream <remote-name> <branch-name> --force

Answer 4

How to do this for master branch, without pulling data down from the remote repo:

1. Create a new folder, init git, add remote repo - don't pull or fetch!

   mkdir clean_repo

   git init

   git remote add origin <remote-repo>

2. create (and switch to) empty local branch, add, commit and push a test file into this.

   git checkout test

   echo "test" > test

   git add .

   git commit -m "adding test"

   git push origin:test

3. On github / bitbucket, change default branch to new branch

4. On local, switch to master branch, commit and push to remote repo / branch

   git checkout -b master

   git push origin --mirror

Answer 5

Been having the same problem. This command worked for me.

git push --set-upstream origin master --force