locking - Git 'fatal: Unable to write new index file'

Question

I've seen many of the other threads about this and they don't help.

I have a very simple repo - two JavaScript files. I have 100+ GB on Macbook. When I try to move the files into a subdirectory and stage locally the changes I get ...

fatal: Unable to write new index file

This happens whether I do all actions in terminal or if I use a GUI like SourceTree. Additionally, one of the files becomes locked and I cannot delete the working directory until I log off and back in.

Why is this happening? Is the lock preventing something from staging? If so, what/how do I unlock the problem file on OS X?? The remote repo is Google Code, if that makes a difference, though I am not pushing to the remote yet. Everything is local.

Answer 1

In my case, the disk ran out of space, so I had to delete files from the hard drive to make space.