Production Orin Nano with Old Nano Carrier Board

Issue Overview

Users are attempting to utilize a Jetson Orin Nano production module with an original Jetson Nano (4GB) Developer Carrier Board. They are facing challenges due to the lack of a microSD card slot on the Orin module and the absence of an NVMe slot on the older carrier board. The users have read that the old carrier board should work, as the pin configurations align, but they are uncertain about booting from a USB flash drive, which they have attempted without success.

Relevant Hardware and Software Specifications

• Device: Jetson Orin Nano Production Module
• Carrier Board: Original Jetson Nano (4GB) Developer Carrier Board
• JetPack Version: Not explicitly mentioned, but related to the Orin Nano capabilities.
• Symptoms:
  • Inability to boot from a USB flash drive after dd’ing the image.
  • Uncertainty regarding compatibility and functionality of the older carrier board with the newer Orin module.

Possible Causes

1. Incompatibility of Carrier Board: The original Jetson Nano carrier board may not support all necessary features required for the Orin Nano production module, particularly regarding storage options.
2. Boot Configuration Issues: The boot process may not be correctly configured to recognize and boot from a USB flash drive.
3. Lack of Documentation: Insufficient guidance on using older carrier boards with newer modules may lead to confusion and implementation challenges.
4. Power Supply or Connection Issues: There may be issues related to power supply or connections that prevent proper booting from external devices.

Troubleshooting Steps, Solutions & Fixes

Step-by-Step Instructions

1. Verify Compatibility:

   • Confirm that the original Jetson Nano carrier board is compatible with the Orin Nano production module. Review NVIDIA documentation for details on supported configurations.

2. Check Boot Options:

   • Ensure that your system is set up to boot from a USB drive. This may require changing boot settings in UEFI or ensuring that the USB drive is properly formatted and contains a valid bootable image.

3. Create Bootable USB Drive:

   • Use the following command to create a bootable USB drive:

     sudo dd if=path_to_your_image.img of=/dev/sdX bs=4M status=progress && sync
     

   • Replace /dev/sdX with your actual USB device identifier.

4. Test Booting from USB:

   • Connect the USB drive and power on the device. Check if it recognizes the USB as a bootable device.

5. Consult Community Resources:

   • Engage with NVIDIA forums or community discussions for insights from other users who have successfully used older carrier boards with newer modules.

6. Consider Using Alternative Carrier Boards:

   • If issues persist, consider using a carrier board specifically designed for the Orin Nano, which will ensure compatibility and access to all features.

7. Monitor Power Supply Connections:

   • Ensure that all power connections are secure and that the power supply meets the requirements for both the module and any connected peripherals.

Recommended Fixes

• Users have found success by ensuring they have correctly formatted their USB drives and verified compatibility between their hardware components.
• If using an older carrier board proves problematic, switching to a newer model designed for the Orin series may eliminate many issues.

Best Practices for Future Prevention

• When planning hardware configurations, always verify compatibility between modules and carrier boards before purchasing or implementing changes.
• Keep updated documentation on hand regarding specific configurations and requirements for different Jetson modules.

Unresolved Aspects and Further Investigation

• Users continue to seek clarity on whether specific configurations can be reliably used across different generations of Jetson hardware.
• There may be additional steps required for configuring boot options that are not fully documented in existing resources.

By following these troubleshooting steps and solutions, users can effectively address issues related to using Jetson Orin Nano production modules with older carrier boards while ensuring they take proactive measures in their project implementations.