Rebuild the client cache for Azure DevOps on-premises

Azure DevOps Server 2022 | Azure DevOps Server 2020 | Azure DevOps Server 2019

You can force a rebuild of the cache on each client computer the next time it connects to a project collection by using the witadmin rebuildcache command.

To prevent workspace errors from occurring during version control or build operations in Azure DevOps, the data cache on client computers must be updated after certain maintenance operations. After you move, restore, rename, or fail over a data-tier or application-tier server, you must refresh the cache for tracking work items and users must refresh the version control cache on client computers.

Important

To avoid server performance issues, you should not run this command during normal operating hours.

To run the tool, open a Command Prompt window where where you've installed Visual Studio and enter:

cd %programfiles(x86)%\Microsoft Visual Studio <version>\Common7\IDE

On a 32-bit edition of Windows, replace %programfiles(x86)% with %programfiles%.

Requirements: To use the witadmin rebuildcache command, you must be a member of the Team Foundation Administrators security group or the Project Administrators security group for the project collection that you want to manage. Permission reference for Azure DevOps Server.

Note

Even if you log on with administrative permissions, you must open an elevated Command Prompt window to perform this function on a server that is running Windows Server 2008. To open an elevated Command Prompt window, choose Start, open the shortcut menu for Command Prompt, and choose Run as Administrator. For more information, see the Microsoft Web site.

Syntax:

witadmin rebuildcache /collection:CollectionURL [/noprompt]

Parameters:

Parameter Description
/noprompt Disables the prompt for confirmation.
/? or help Displays help about the command in the Command Prompt window.

Remarks:

The witadmin rebuildcache command invalidates cached data on all clients for a specified project collection. This causes the cache for each client to be refreshed the next time the client connects to the project collection.

Example:

The following command invalidates the metadata cache for all clients that connect to DefaultCollection that is defined on the server that is named AdventureWorksServer. The client caches are updated the next time they connect to the project collection.

witadmin rebuildcache /collection:http://AdventureWorksServer:8080/tfs/DefaultCollection