get the linux kernel failed, why?

austrianadmin

hi Luis,

my next question is about chapter 13 git essentials/get the linux kernel...wanted to clone the kernel (on an Alma Linux 10)which was done, but when typed in "git log"...git log
the output was not like in the script but that there is no git-repository or parent directory...?....f

best regards

berni

luisviveropena

Hi Berni,

1.- The first error says there is already a directory called 'linux' and it's not empty, so the files won't be downloaded. I think you already ran the git command before, or you created a directory called 'linux' with another content. So you need to check on that. In my case I have the following:

luis@debiansrv:~$ git clone --depth 1 -b master https://git.kernel.org/pub/scm/linux/kernel/git/stable/linux.git linux/
Cloning into 'linux'...
remote: Enumerating objects: 98494, done.
remote: Counting objects: 100% (98494/98494), done.
remote: Compressing objects: 100% (95816/95816), done.
remote: Total 98494 (delta 7697), reused 21011 (delta 1638), pack-reused 0 (from 0)
Receiving objects: 100% (98494/98494), 272.76 MiB | 1.97 MiB/s, done.
Resolving deltas: 100% (7697/7697), done.
Updating files: 100% (93024/93024), done.
luis@debiansrv:~$
luis@debiansrv:~$ git log
fatal: not a git repository (or any of the parent directories): .git
luis@debiansrv:~$
luis@debiansrv:~$ git init .
hint: Using 'master' as the name for the initial branch. This default branch name
hint: is subject to change. To configure the initial branch name to use in all
hint: of your new repositories, which will suppress this warning, call:
hint:
hint: git config --global init.defaultBranch
hint:
hint: Names commonly chosen instead of 'master' are 'main', 'trunk' and
hint: 'development'. The just-created branch can be renamed via this command:
hint:
hint: git branch -m
Initialized empty Git repository in /home/luis/.git/

2.- The 'git log' command.

You need to get into the directory that has the code, and then run the 'git log' command, as follows:

luis@debiansrv:~$ cd linux/
luis@debiansrv:~/linux$
luis@debiansrv:~/linux$ git log
commit e774d5f1bc27a85f858bce7688509e866f8e8a4e (grafted, HEAD -> master, origin/master, origin/HEAD)
Author: Linus Torvalds torvalds@linux-foundation.org
Date: Fri Apr 10 17:27:08 2026 -0700

Merge tag 'riscv-for-linus-v7.0-rc8' of git://git.kernel.org/pub/scm/linux/kernel/git/riscv/linux

Pull RISC-V updates from Paul Walmsley:
 "Before v7.0 is released, fix a few issues with the CFI patchset,
  merged earlier in v7.0-rc, that primarily affect interfaces to
  non-kernel code:

   - Improve the prctl() interface for per-task indirect branch landing
     pad control to expand abbreviations and to resemble the speculation
     control prctl() interface

   - Expand the "LP" and "SS" abbreviations in the ptrace uapi header
     file to "branch landing pad" and "shadow stack", to improve
     readability

   - Fix a typo in a CFI-related macro name in the ptrace uapi header
     file

   - Ensure that the indirect branch tracking state and shadow stack
     state are unlocked immediately after an exec() on the new task so
     that libc subsequently can control it

   - While working in this area, clean up the kernel-internal,
     cross-architecture prctl() function names by expanding the
     abbreviations mentioned above"

* tag 'riscv-for-linus-v7.0-rc8' of git://git.kernel.org/pub/scm/linux/kernel/git/riscv/linux:
  prctl: cfi: change the branch landing pad prctl()s to be more descriptive
  riscv: ptrace: cfi: expand "SS" references to "shadow stack" in uapi headers
  prctl: rename branch landing pad implementation functions to be more explicit
  riscv: ptrace: expand "LP" references to "branch landing pads" in uapi headers
  riscv: cfi: clear CFI lock status in start_thread()
  riscv: ptrace: cfi: fix "PRACE" typo in uapi header

So please check on that and let me know.

Regards,
Luis.

luisviveropena

Hi Berni,

Please provide the exact steps you followed and the exact error you had, so I can see better what could be failing.

Regards,
Luis.

austrianadmin

Hi Luis,

attached you see what i tried and the outcome, again i thought about what you about the $PATH so i checked it and on the debian 12 machine it is: echo PATH = $PATH
PATH = /usr/local/bin:/usr/bin:/bin:/usr/local/games:/usr/games:/snap/bin
...on the Linux Alma 10 lfstudent1@localhost:~$ echo PATH=$PATH
PATH=/home/lfstudent1/.local/bin:/home/lfstudent1/bin:/usr/local/bin:/usr/local/sbin:/usr/bin:/usr/sbin

so i guess i have to correct that, but my actual question you see in the screenshot....i am progressing but it is a great help to be able to ask someone when stuck....thanks best regards berni

luisviveropena

Hi Berni,

I don't see any screenshots attached, so I can't see what the error is.

Regards,
Luis.

austrianadmin

Hi Luis,
here is the screenshot

best regards
berni

coop

I don't think it is a path problem. I also no longer recommend getting a shallow clone, it is hard to update the repo without making it big away. most likely there is just confusion about what directory you are in. you also don't need to give a target directory, it Also can lead to confusion.

BTW, gracias Luis for doing such a great job! I do lurk on the forums 🤓

luisviveropena

Hi @coop,

It's nice to know that you are around! And many thanks

Regards,
Luis.

austrianadmin

Hello Luis,

i did not cd into /linux that was the mistake, did not see that in the script...thanks for your time and work!

best regards
berni

luisviveropena

Hi Berni, I'm glad it worked for you! It's a pleasure

Best regards,
Luis.