Jetson is not in the sudoers file. This incident will be reported

Issue Overview

Users of the Nvidia Jetson Orin Nano Developer Kit are encountering an error message stating, "jetson is not in the sudoers file. This incident will be reported." This issue typically arises during attempts to execute commands requiring elevated privileges using sudo. The problem seems to occur inconsistently, with some users reporting it after initial successful setups and others experiencing it immediately after installation.

Symptoms

• Users receive an error when attempting to use sudo, indicating that the ‘jetson’ user lacks the necessary permissions.
• The problem may manifest during routine operations or after system updates.

Context

• The problem appears to occur post-setup, particularly when users have configured their systems using Nvidia’s SDK Manager.
• Users have noted that they had previously operated without issues before encountering this error.

Hardware and Software Specifications

• The issue is specific to the Jetson Orin Nano Developer Kit.
• Users are operating on various versions of JetPack, including JetPack 5.1.2 and JetPack 6.0.

Frequency and Impact

• The frequency of this issue varies; some users encounter it repeatedly, while others may only experience it sporadically.
• The inability to use sudo significantly hampers users’ ability to perform administrative tasks, affecting overall system functionality and user experience.

Possible Causes

1. User Account Configuration:

   • The ‘jetson’ user may not have been added to the sudoers group during setup, leading to permission issues when executing commands with sudo.

2. SDK Manager Setup Issues:

   • If the SDK Manager did not correctly configure user permissions during installation, this could result in the user lacking administrative rights.

3. Configuration Errors:

   • Manual modifications or errors during the setup process could lead to improper configurations that prevent the ‘jetson’ user from accessing sudo privileges.

4. Driver or Software Bugs:

   • Bugs within the operating system or JetPack software could cause unexpected behavior regarding user permissions.

5. Environmental Factors:

   • Issues such as power supply inconsistencies or overheating might contribute indirectly by causing system instability.

6. User Misconfigurations:

   • Users may inadvertently alter critical configuration files or settings that affect user permissions.

Troubleshooting Steps, Solutions & Fixes

1. Verify User Group Membership:

   • Run the following command to check if ‘jetson’ is part of the sudo group:

     egrep -i '(jetson|sudo)' /etc/group
     

   • If ‘jetson’ is not listed under the sudo group, proceed to add it using an admin account.

2. Add User to Sudoers:

   • If another administrative account is available, log in and run:

     sudo usermod -aG sudo jetson
     

   • This command adds ‘jetson’ to the sudo group, granting necessary permissions.

3. Check User ID:

   • Use the command below to verify the current user’s ID and group memberships:

     id
     

   • Ensure that ‘jetson’ has appropriate group memberships.

4. Inspect Sudoers File:

   • Check the permissions of the sudoers file:

     ls -l /etc/sudoers
     

   • Ensure that it has correct permissions (should be -r--r-----).

5. Monitor System Logs:

   • Use dmesg to monitor logs while attempting a sudo command:

     dmesg --follow
     

   • Look for any related error messages that might provide further insight.

6. Reconfigure SDK Manager Installation:

   • If issues persist, consider re-running the SDK Manager setup while ensuring that all steps are followed correctly and that permissions are granted appropriately during installation.

7. Documentation and Updates:

   • Keep JetPack and all related software up-to-date by checking for new releases and patches from Nvidia’s official documentation.
   • Review Nvidia’s developer forums for any updates or community solutions related to similar issues.

8. Best Practices for Future Prevention:

   • Always verify user permissions immediately after setup.
   • Avoid manual edits to critical system files unless absolutely necessary; use appropriate commands for modifications.
   • Regularly back up configuration files before making changes.

Note on Unresolved Issues

While many users have successfully resolved this issue by adding ‘jetson’ to the sudo group, some may encounter additional complexities based on unique system configurations or software versions. Further investigation may be required for those cases where standard solutions do not apply.