title: Git - fatal: unknown error occured while reading the configuration files
body: <p><em>Not sure if this is the correct place to post this problem, but:</em></p>
  
  <p>When I try to do just about anything in my Git bash window, I get this error:</p>
  
  <pre><code>fatal: unknown error occured while reading the configuration files
  </code></pre>
  
  <p><a href="https://i.imgur.com/RZ7h3pC.png" rel="noreferrer"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/RZ7h3pC.png" alt="Git error fatal unknown error occured while reading the configuration files"></a></p>
  
  <p>I tried several re-installs under different configurations and attempted numerous reboots to no help. I was questioning my username on Windows, since it has a dot (.) in it. Could that confuse Git for some reason? And if so: Is there a work-around?</p>
  
  <p>I also cannot seem to locate where my config files are, since the command to find it is broken with the same error message.</p>
  
  <hr>
  
  <p><strong>I searched my computer for <code>.gitconfig</code> files. I found a total of 4 files:</strong></p>
  
  <ul>
  <li><code>C:\Program Files\Git\mingw64\etc\.gitconfig</code></li>
  <li><code>C:\Program Files\Git\usr\share\vim\vim74\ftplugin\.gitconfig</code></li>
  <li><code>C:\Program Files\Git\usr\share\vim\vim74\indent\.gitconfig</code></li>
  <li><code>C:\Program Files\Git\usr\share\vim\vim74\syntax\.gitconfig</code></li>
  </ul>
  
  <p><strong><em>Here are the content of each file</em></strong></p>
  
  <p><em>...\Git\mingw64\etc.gitconfig</em></p>
  
  <pre><code>[credential]
  helper = manager
  </code></pre>
  
  <p><em>...\Git\usr\share\vim\vim74\ftplugin.gitconfig</em></p>
  
  <pre><code>" Vim filetype plugin
  " Language: git config file
  " Maintainer:   Tim Pope &lt;vimNOSPAM@tpope.org&gt;
  " Last Change:  2009 Dec 24
  
  " Only do this when not done yet for this buffer
  if (exists("b:did_ftplugin"))
    finish
  endif
  let b:did_ftplugin = 1
  
  setlocal formatoptions-=t formatoptions+=croql
  setlocal comments=:#,:; commentstring=;\ %s
  
  let b:undo_ftplugin = "setl fo&lt; com&lt; cms&lt;"
  </code></pre>
  
  <p>...\Git\usr\share\vim\vim74\indent.gitconfig</p>
  
  <pre><code>" Vim indent file
  " Language: git config file
  " Maintainer:   Tim Pope &lt;vimNOSPAM@tpope.org&gt;
  " Last Change:  2013 May 30
  
  if exists("b:did_indent")
    finish
  endif
  let b:did_indent = 1
  
  setlocal autoindent
  setlocal indentexpr=GetGitconfigIndent()
  setlocal indentkeys=o,O,*&lt;Return&gt;,0[,],0;,0#,=,!^F
  
  let b:undo_indent = 'setl ai&lt; inde&lt; indk&lt;'
  
  " Only define the function once.
  if exists("*GetGitconfigIndent")
    finish
  endif
  
  function! GetGitconfigIndent()
    let line  = getline(prevnonblank(v:lnum-1))
    let cline = getline(v:lnum)
    if line =~  '\\\@&lt;!\%(\\\\\)*\\$'
      " odd number of slashes, in a line continuation
      return 2 * &amp;sw
    elseif cline =~ '^\s*\['
      return 0
    elseif cline =~ '^\s*\a'
      return &amp;sw
    elseif cline == ''       &amp;&amp; line =~ '^\['
      return &amp;sw
    else
      return -1
    endif
  endfunction
  </code></pre>
  
  <p>Git\usr\share\vim\vim74\syntax.gitconfig</p>
  
  <pre><code>" Vim syntax file
  " Language: git config file
  " Maintainer:   Tim Pope &lt;vimNOSPAM@tpope.org&gt;
  " Filenames:    gitconfig, .gitconfig, *.git/config
  " Last Change:  2010 May 21
  
  if exists("b:current_syntax")
    finish
  endif
  
  setlocal iskeyword+=-
  setlocal iskeyword-=_
  syn case ignore
  syn sync minlines=10
  
  syn match   gitconfigComment    "[#;].*"
  syn match   gitconfigSection    "\%(^\s*\)\@&lt;=\[[a-z0-9.-]\+\]"
  syn match   gitconfigSection    '\%(^\s*\)\@&lt;=\[[a-z0-9.-]\+ \+\"\%([^\\"]\|\\.\)*"\]'
  syn match   gitconfigVariable    "\%(^\s*\)\@&lt;=\a\k*\%(\s*\%([=#;]\|$\)\)\@=" nextgroup=gitconfigAssignment skipwhite
  syn region  gitconfigAssignment  matchgroup=gitconfigNone start=+=\s*+ skip=+\\+ end=+\s*$+ contained contains=gitconfigBoolean,gitconfigNumber,gitConfigString,gitConfigEscape,gitConfigError,gitconfigComment keepend
  syn keyword gitconfigBoolean true false yes no contained
  syn match   gitconfigNumber  "\d\+" contained
  syn region  gitconfigString  matchgroup=gitconfigDelim start=+"+ skip=+\\+ end=+"+ matchgroup=gitconfigError end=+[^\\"]\%#\@!$+ contained contains=gitconfigEscape,gitconfigEscapeError
  syn match   gitconfigError  +\\.+    contained
  syn match   gitconfigEscape +\\[\\"ntb]+ contained
  syn match   gitconfigEscape +\\$+    contained
  
  hi def link gitconfigComment        Comment
  hi def link gitconfigSection        Keyword
  hi def link gitconfigVariable       Identifier
  hi def link gitconfigBoolean        Boolean
  hi def link gitconfigNumber     Number
  hi def link gitconfigString     String
  hi def link gitconfigDelim      Delimiter
  hi def link gitconfigEscape     Delimiter
  hi def link gitconfigError      Error
  
  let b:current_syntax = "gitconfig"
  </code></pre>
  
  <hr>
  
  <p>I run Windows 7 x64 Professional. The computer is part of a domain network.</p>
  
  <p>I Googled this problem and gave up when I came to page 11 with nothing useful.</p>