Unable to connect to a repository at URL: The options request returned invalid XML in the response

Question

I am trying to set up an SVN repository on a Cpanel Web Disk.

In Windows 7 I am able to set up the folder so I can access the files without a problem, and used TortoiseSVN to "Create repository here". This was successful.

However, when I try to connect to check out the repository (using TortoiseSVN) I get the message:

Error: Unable to connect to a repository at URL  
Error:  'https://<redacted>'  
Error: The OPTIONS request returned invalid XML in the response: XML parse error at  
Error:  line 1: no element found  

I tried connecting using the SVN command line and get a similar error:

E175002: Unable to connect to the repository at URL 'https://<redacted>'
E175002: The OPTIONS request returned invalid XML in the response: XML parse error at line 1: no element found (https://<redacted>).

I am using TortoiseSVN 1.7.13 (64 bit) and SVN 1.7.10.

I am aware that there is an issue with later builds of TortoiseSVN (1.8.*) which is why I downgraded to 1.7.13, but the issue also occurs with the SVN command line client. This is even more puzzling because I am able to connect through Windows 7.

Has anyone experienced this issue before or have any ideas as to how to get this to work so I can check out a working copy?

UPDATE I am also able to connect via Firefox by putting in the same URL. This shows me a directory listing.

Another strange thing I notice is that neither SVN command line nor TortoiseSVN request my password, but Windows and Firefox both do. I have tried to clear the authentication information in TortoiseSVN but the button to do so is not enabled.

Answer 1

The issue was due to the Tortoise SVN client being blocked by a firewall.