Error creating branch or tag in SVN

Question

Ever since upgrading to SVN 1.8 (on VisualSVN Server 2.6.2), whenever I try to create a branch (or a tag), I get this error :

Could not COPY /svn/[path] due to a failed precondition on the source (e.g. locks). [424, #0]

An error occurred on another resource, preventing the requested operation on this resource. [424, #0]

This only happens in a single repository - I have upgraded two more and they work flawlessly, ie: we are able to branch and tag normally. Any idea what could cause this?

Answer 1

Turns out the error message was right about having a lock somewhere in the trunk.

Strangely enough, the lock wasn't visible to my client (TortoiseSVN) - neither Release Lock nor the Cleanup command reported it. I tried svnadmin lslocks and lo and behold, it listed a single xml config file locked in... January 2012.

Looks like the upgrade from SVN 1.6 to 1.8 somehow caused this ancient lock to come back. Using svnadmin rmlocks on that file solved the problem and branching / tagging is no longer failing. Just to make sure I tried locking / unlocking the file through TortoiseSVN and everything works normally now, ie: locks get listed, etc.

Sorry I can't offer a more logical explanation for this problem, except that maybe old versions of locks didn't get upgraded properly, and / or TortoiseSVN doesn't handle upgraded locks correctly.

Answer 2

This is a known bug that has been introduced in Apache HTTP Server 2.2.25 mod_dav module. The workaround for this bug is going to be available in the next VisualSVN Server patch release; it will be released in the same time as Apache Subversion 1.8.3.

As a possible workaround you can tag a branch with svn copy using file:// protocol on the server machine (in other words, use local URL with file:// protocol). It's not recommended since requires full access to the server machine and repository, only server administrator should perform the action.