Unhandled Context Fault and EMEM Address Decode Errors on Nvidia Jetson Orin Nano

Issue Overview

Users of the Nvidia Jetson Orin Nano developer board are experiencing persistent system errors, even when the device is idle. The main symptoms include:

1. Frequent "Unhandled context fault" messages from the arm-smmu (System Memory Management Unit).
2. Recurring "EMEM address decode error" messages from the memory controller.
3. EXT4 filesystem errors, including checksum invalidity and lookup failures.
4. These errors occur throughout the day, even when the system is not in active use.
5. The issues have been observed across multiple Jetpack versions, including 5.1.2, 5.1.3, and 6.0 Developer Preview (DP).

These errors suggest potential problems with memory management, PCIe communication, and filesystem integrity, which could lead to system instability and data corruption if left unaddressed.

Possible Causes

1. Hardware defect: There might be an issue with the Orin Nano’s memory controller or SMMU.
2. Firmware bug: The errors could be caused by a bug in the system firmware or bootloader.
3. Driver incompatibility: The PCIe or memory management drivers may not be fully compatible with the Orin Nano hardware.
4. SD card corruption: The frequent EXT4 errors suggest possible SD card filesystem corruption or hardware failure.
5. Power supply issues: Unstable power could potentially cause memory or PCIe communication errors.
6. Thermal problems: Overheating might lead to memory or communication errors, though this is less likely given the errors occur even when the system is idle.

Troubleshooting Steps, Solutions & Fixes

1. Update to the latest Jetpack version:

   • Upgrade to Jetpack 5.1.3 or 6.0 GA (r36.3) as recommended by Nvidia support.
   • Use the SDK Manager to perform a clean installation of the latest Jetpack version.

2. Check and replace the SD card:

   • Back up all important data from the SD card.
   • Use a tool like fsck to check the filesystem integrity:

     sudo fsck.ext4 -f /dev/mmcblk1p1
     

   • If errors persist, replace the SD card with a high-quality, known-good SD card.

3. Verify power supply:

   • Ensure you’re using the recommended power supply for the Jetson Orin Nano.
   • Check for any loose connections or damaged cables.

4. Monitor system temperature:

   • Use the tegrastats command to monitor system temperature and ensure it’s within normal ranges:

     tegrastats
     

5. Check for hardware issues:

   • Run a memory test using a tool like memtest86+ to check for RAM issues.
   • If possible, try the same setup on another Jetson Orin Nano board to isolate potential hardware problems.

6. Disable PCIe if not needed:

   • If you’re not using any PCIe devices, try disabling PCIe in the device tree to see if it resolves the EMEM address decode errors.

7. Collect detailed logs for Nvidia support:

   • Enable persistent logging:

     sudo mkdir -p /var/log/nvidia/
     sudo nvpmodel -m 0
     sudo nvpmodel -q --verbose > /var/log/nvidia/nvpmodel.log
     

   • Capture kernel logs:

     sudo dmesg -w > /var/log/nvidia/dmesg.log
     

   • Let the system run for a while, then collect these logs and share them with Nvidia support for further analysis.

8. Perform a clean installation:

   • If issues persist after updating, perform a complete clean installation of the latest Jetpack version using the SDK Manager.
   • Ensure all partitions are reformatted during this process.

9. Check for known issues and updates:

   • Regularly check the Nvidia Developer Forums and Jetson documentation for any known issues or new updates that might address these problems.

If these steps do not resolve the issue, it’s recommended to open a support ticket with Nvidia, providing detailed logs and information about your specific setup and use case. The persistent nature of these errors across multiple Jetpack versions suggests there might be an underlying issue that requires Nvidia’s direct intervention or a potential hardware replacement.