I needed to use

> git config --global gc.auto 1000

with the long option name, and no `=`.

A few thousand files shouldn't be a problem to a program designed to scan entire drives of files. Even in a single folder and considering sloppy programs I wouldn't worry just yet, and git's not putting them in a single folder.

I love nothing more than running strange git commands found in HN comments.

Let's ride the lightning and see if it does anything.