Jetson Orin Nano 8GB Boot Failure and Recovery

Issue Overview

The Nvidia Jetson Orin Nano 8GB development board is experiencing a boot failure issue. The user reports that the device was working fine the previous day but is now unable to boot properly. The specific symptoms include:

• The device shows the Nvidia logo screen upon powering on
• After the logo screen, it transitions to a blank screen
• The fan continues to run, indicating power is being supplied
• No login prompt or operating system interface appears on the connected monitor
• The issue persists even after attempting various troubleshooting steps found in other forum threads

The problem appears to be consistent, preventing normal operation of the device and access to important data stored on it.

Possible Causes

Several factors could contribute to this boot failure:

1. Corrupted File System: The most likely cause, as indicated by the error messages in the UART logs, is a corrupted ext4 file system on the SD card.

2. Incomplete Boot Process: The UART logs suggest that the system is partially booting but failing to complete the process, possibly due to file system issues or other software conflicts.

3. Hardware Issues: While less likely, there could be a hardware problem preventing full boot-up, such as power supply instability or component failure.

4. Incorrect Boot Configuration: The system might be configured to boot from an incorrect or non-existent source.

5. Software Update Gone Wrong: If a software update was interrupted or applied incorrectly, it could lead to boot failures.

Troubleshooting Steps, Solutions & Fixes

1. Access UART Console:

   • Connect a USB to TTL UART converter to the UART pins on the Jetson Orin Nano’s header.
   • Use a terminal program like minicom with the following settings:

     Serial Device: /dev/ttyUSB0
     Bps/Par/Bits: 115200 8N1
     Hardware Flow Control: Yes
     Software Flow Control: No
     

2. Analyze Boot Logs:

   • Capture the full boot log from the very beginning of the boot process.
   • Ensure the terminal window is large enough to avoid truncation of log lines.

3. File System Check and Repair:

   • Since the device is booting from an SD card and showing ext4-fs errors, run a file system check:

     e2fsck -f /dev/mmcblk0p1
     

   • Replace /dev/mmcblk0p1 with the correct partition if different.

4. Attempt Recovery Mode:

   • If available on the Orin Nano, try booting into recovery mode to access a minimal system.

5. Data Recovery:

   • If the file system check doesn’t resolve the issue, focus on data recovery:
     • Use a Linux live USB on another computer to mount the SD card and copy important data.
     • Consider using data recovery tools like ddrescue or testdisk.

6. Re-flash the System:

   • As a last resort, if data has been backed up or recovered:
     • Download the latest Jetson OS image for the Orin Nano.
     • Use the NVIDIA SDK Manager to flash the new image to the SD card.

7. Hardware Inspection:

   • Check all connections, especially power supply and SD card slot.
   • Look for any signs of physical damage or overheating.

8. Update Firmware and Drivers:

   • If able to boot into a minimal system, update all firmware and drivers to the latest versions compatible with the Orin Nano.

9. Monitor Power Management:

   • Ensure stable power supply and monitor for any power-related issues during boot.

10. Consult NVIDIA Support:

    • If all else fails, reach out to NVIDIA’s official support channels with detailed logs and steps taken.

Remember to document all steps taken and their outcomes. This will be valuable information if further assistance from NVIDIA or the community is needed.