No display on Jetson Orin Nano Developer Kit

Issue Overview

Users are experiencing a problem where the Nvidia Jetson Orin Nano Developer Kit fails to display any output upon startup. The symptoms include:

• No display on the connected monitor.
• No power indication on peripherals such as the keyboard and mouse.
• The issue occurs immediately after powering on the device, following the flashing of the Jetpack 6.1 image onto a 128GB microSD card using Balena Etcher 1.19.21 on an Ubuntu 22.04.5 system.

The problem has been reported consistently across different image versions, indicating a persistent issue rather than an isolated incident. This lack of functionality severely impacts user experience, as it prevents any interaction with the device or access to its features.

Possible Causes

Several potential causes may lead to the observed problem:

• Hardware Incompatibilities or Defects: The microSD card or the Jetson board itself may be defective or incompatible with the flashed image.

• Software Bugs or Conflicts: There may be bugs in Jetpack 6.1 that affect booting or compatibility with the hardware.

• Configuration Errors: Incorrect flashing procedures or settings during the image installation could lead to failures in booting.

• Driver Issues: Missing or incorrect drivers for display output might prevent any visual feedback from being rendered.

• Environmental Factors: Insufficient power supply or extreme temperatures could affect hardware performance and functionality.

• User Errors or Misconfigurations: Improper connections or setup steps might lead to failure in powering up the device properly.

Troubleshooting Steps, Solutions & Fixes

To resolve the issue of no display on the Jetson Orin Nano Developer Kit, follow these comprehensive troubleshooting steps:

1. Check Power Supply

   • Ensure that you are using a compatible power supply that meets the voltage and current requirements for the Jetson Orin Nano.

2. Verify Connections

   • Confirm that all cables (power, HDMI, peripherals) are securely connected.
   • Try using different HDMI cables and ports on your monitor to rule out connection issues.

3. Re-flash the microSD Card

   • Use Balena Etcher to re-flash the Jetpack 6.1 image onto the microSD card.
   • Ensure that you are using a reliable and compatible microSD card.
   • Follow these commands in your terminal to unmount and format the microSD card before flashing:

     sudo umount /dev/sdX*
     sudo mkfs.ext4 /dev/sdX
     

4. Test with Different Image Versions

   • If you haven’t already, try flashing different versions of Jetpack (e.g., older versions) to see if they resolve the issue.

5. Use a USB to TTL Adapter for Debugging

   • If possible, obtain a USB to TTL adapter to connect to the serial console of the Jetson board for debugging messages during boot.
   • This can provide insights into where the boot process is failing.

6. Check for Visual Indicators

   • Look for any LED indicators on the board that might indicate power status or errors during boot-up.

7. Consult Documentation

   • Refer to Nvidia’s official documentation for any specific setup requirements or known issues related to your version of Jetpack and hardware configuration.

8. Community Support

   • Engage with community forums for additional troubleshooting tips and solutions shared by other users who faced similar issues.

9. Best Practices for Future Prevention

   • Always ensure compatibility of hardware components before setup.
   • Regularly check for firmware updates and patches from Nvidia that might address known issues.

If multiple users report success with a particular solution, it should be highlighted as a recommended approach in future discussions.