patching 2.4.3

[Ron Wolfe <cruiserman@xxxxxxxx>]

i just downloaded the patchfiles for 2.4.3 and after trying:
patch -p1 < linux-2.4.3-core-xfs-1.0.patch.gz

i immediately get:
patch unexpectedly ends in middle of line
patch:**** Only garbage was found in the patch input.

i also tried the linux-2.4-xfs-1.0.patch and i get a lot of jiberish fly 
by then it asks for file to patch: if i denote linux/ or linux-2.4.3 
then it says:
patch:****File /usr/src/linux is not a regular file -- cant open

any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

Ron Wolfe