A Windows batch script that recovers Git history for files moved without git mv by detecting deleted files and their new locations, then properly tracking the moves.

git_move_files.bat

@echo off
setlocal enabledelayedexpansion

if "%1"=="" (
    echo Usage: git_move_files.bat [RepositoryPath]
    exit /b 1
)

set "repo_path=%1"
cd /d "%repo_path%" || (
    echo Invalid repository path: %repo_path%
    exit /b 1
)

if not exist .git (
    echo The specified path is not a git repository.
    exit /b 1
)

:: Print header
echo.
echo Filename                 From Path                                To Path
echo ========                 =========                                =======
echo.

for /f "usebackq delims=" %%i in (`git ls-files --deleted`) do (
    set "missing_file=%%i"
    for %%k in ("!missing_file!") do set "filename=%%~nxk"
    
    for /f "delims=" %%j in ('dir /s /b "!filename!" 2^>nul ^| findstr /v "\.git"') do (
        if /i "%%~nxj"=="!filename!" (
            set "found_file=%%j"
            set "rel_path=!found_file:%CD%\=!"
            
            call :printRow "!filename!" "!missing_file!" "!rel_path!"
            
            rem Create directory if it doesn't exist
            if not exist "!missing_file!\.." mkdir "!missing_file!\.." 2>nul
            
            rem First move file back to original location
            move "!rel_path!" "!missing_file!" >nul
            
            rem Then use git mv to track the move to new location
            git mv "!missing_file!" "!rel_path!"
        )
    )
)
echo.
endlocal
goto :eof

:printRow
set "str1=%~1"
set "str2=%~2"
set "str3=%~3"
call :padString "!str1!" 24 pad1
call :padString "!str2!" 40 pad2
echo !pad1! !pad2! !str3!
goto :eof

:padString
set "str=%~1"
set "len=%~2"
set "result=!str!"
:padLoop
if "!result:~%~2!"=="" goto :endPadLoop
set "result=!result! "
goto :padLoop
:endPadLoop
set "%~3=!result!"
goto :eof