Emulating Jetson Orin Nano 4GB with Jetson Orin Nano 8GB Dev Kit

Issue Overview

Users are experiencing difficulties in emulating the Jetson Orin Nano 4GB using the Jetson Orin Nano 8GB Development Kit. The primary symptom reported is the inability to limit the accessible memory on the 8GB module to function as a 4GB module. This issue arises during attempts to configure the device for specific applications that require a 4GB memory limit.

The context of the problem occurs primarily during setup and configuration, specifically when users modify boot parameters in the system files. The hardware involved includes both the Jetson Orin Nano 8GB Development Kit and software configurations related to the Linux operating system running on it.

The frequency of this issue seems to be consistent among users attempting similar configurations, which impacts their ability to run certain applications that are optimized for the 4GB version. The lack of clear documentation or guides on this emulation process adds to user frustration.

Possible Causes

• Hardware Limitations: The Jetson Orin Nano 8GB might have inherent limitations in its architecture that prevent it from fully emulating a 4GB variant.

• Software Configuration Errors: Incorrect modifications to system files or boot parameters could lead to failure in limiting memory access.

• Driver Issues: Incompatibilities or bugs in drivers related to memory management may hinder proper emulation.

• User Misconfiguration: Users may not be following the correct steps or may be unaware of necessary parameters for successful emulation.

• Lack of Documentation: Insufficient guidance on how to perform this emulation can lead to confusion and errors during setup.

Troubleshooting Steps, Solutions & Fixes

1. Modify Boot Parameters:

   • Open the terminal and edit the extlinux.conf file located at /boot/extlinux/extlinux.conf.
   • Append mem=4G (or mem=2G if further limiting is required) to the end of the APPEND line.
   • Example command:

     sudo nano /boot/extlinux/extlinux.conf
     

   • After editing, save and exit.

2. Reboot the Device:

   • After making changes, reboot your device for them to take effect:

     sudo reboot
     

3. Verify Memory Limitation:

   • After rebooting, check if the memory limitation is applied correctly by using:

     free -h
     

   • This command will display current memory usage and should reflect the limited memory configuration.

4. Test with Different Configurations:

   • If issues persist, try reverting changes and testing with different configurations or settings in extlinux.conf.

5. Update Drivers and Firmware:

   • Ensure that all drivers and firmware are up-to-date. Check Nvidia’s official site for any updates related to Jetson devices.

6. Consult Documentation:

   • Review Nvidia’s official documentation for any additional parameters or settings that may be required for emulation.

7. Community Support:

   • If problems remain unresolved, consider reaching out to community forums or Nvidia support for further assistance.

8. Best Practices:

   • Always back up configuration files before making changes.
   • Document any changes made for future reference.

This troubleshooting guide incorporates successful steps reported by users who confirmed that modifying boot parameters allowed them to emulate lower memory configurations effectively. Further investigation may be needed if issues persist beyond these steps, particularly regarding hardware limitations or deeper software conflicts.