# Error when attempting to use chef commands

**URL:** <https://discourse.chef.io/t/error-when-attempting-to-use-chef-commands/17981>\
**Category:** Chef Infra (archive)\
**Created:** [November 23, 2020, 5:19pm UTC](https://discourse.chef.io/t/error-when-attempting-to-use-chef-commands/17981 "2020-11-23T17:19:39Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![sReiners](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a3d4f5/32.png) [@sReiners](https://discourse.chef.io/u/sReiners)\
**Post date:** [November 23, 2020, 5:19pm UTC](https://discourse.chef.io/t/error-when-attempting-to-use-chef-commands/17981/1 "2020-11-23T17:19:40Z")

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After setting up my workstation I added some files to the git-ignore and svn ignore files, but after that, my chef-client stopped working. Tried reinstalling and 'knife ssl fetch' didn't work either. For the 'knife SUB-COMMAND' or any other chef related commands in PowerShell, the output is as such:

ERROR: CONFIGURATION ERROR:knife is an invalid chef\_server\_url

Did some extra research and was unable to find anyone else who had this issue, has anyone seen this before?

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**Author:** ![Tensibai](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/discourse.chef.io/tensibai/32/29_2.png) [@Tensibai](https://discourse.chef.io/u/Tensibai)\
**Post date:** [November 25, 2020, 8:09am UTC](https://discourse.chef.io/t/error-when-attempting-to-use-chef-commands/17981/2 "2020-11-25T08:09:06Z")

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From the error your config file has an invalid value for chef\_server\_url.

Double check your configuration in /.chef

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**Author:** ![sReiners](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a3d4f5/32.png) [@sReiners](https://discourse.chef.io/u/sReiners)\
**Post date:** [November 25, 2020, 2:26pm UTC](https://discourse.chef.io/t/error-when-attempting-to-use-chef-commands/17981/3 "2020-11-25T14:26:27Z")

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Turns out I had a credentials file elsewhere causing chef to use that instead of the config file.