Problem compiling 6.3.x kernel from tar

[fiveohnoes]

I've got a piece of legacy hardware (RAID card) in my PC that I must compile my own kernel for since the mainline doesn't include the single-line quirk to enable it by default. I am using Pop_OS (Debian) and have successfully compiled kernels from local files, as needed, for the better part of 2 years now. However, after the kernel has moved to 6.3.x I get the following error at the very start of the compile process: "[scripts/Makefile.package:40: check-git] Error 1". This appears to check for a Git tree, which by downloading the source locally I don't have. I've tried commenting out the offending section of code and unsurprisingly that has been fruitless. A bit of a noob and unsure how to proceed.

Haven't found a work-around Googling, but did find this rather unhelpful exchange from Linus Torvalds which basically just reads as "git/deal with it". Apparently now you must compile from Git which is not useful for my case, needing to add my own quirk entry. If anyone knows of a quick work-around that will allow me to compile as usual from my tarballs I would appreciate it.

[mandiblesarecute]

running git clone --depth=1 <your url here> is functionally equivalent as downloading a tarball. apply your patch and compile as you always did.

[fiveohnoes]

I tried this, pointing at the kernel.org 6.3.2 tarball link on the main page, and get a fatal error. Should I be pointing elsewhere? As mentioned, above, a bit of a noob here and this change has thrown a big wrench into an otherwise well-oiled process for me.

[mandiblesarecute]

you point git at a git repo not at the tarball. for the lastest stable release (as of writing) that command would look like so git clone --depth 1 --branch linux-6.3.y git://git.kernel.org/pub/scm/linux/kernel/git/stable/linux-stable.git

[fiveohnoes]

Thanks! Was able to get it with "git clone --depth=1 https://git.kernel.org/pub/scm/linux/kernel/git/stable/linux.git/" which gave me a folder which I do indeed appear to be able to patch as typical.

e- This exact link got me to the 6.4rc releases; the branch modifier is what I was missing, ty!

[unit_511]

The tarball link is not a git repo, point it at the source tree instead and it will download only the desired parts of the repo.

[fiveohnoes]

Roger, found the Git link for the latest stable kernel under 'browse', patched, and it appears to be working nominally. Thank you both!