Cloning Data from Jetson Orin Nano SSD to New Device: Issues and Solutions

Issue Overview

Users are experiencing difficulties when attempting to clone data from an existing Jetson Orin Nano SSD to a new Jetson device. The process involves following the instructions in README_backup_restore.txt, specifically Workflow 3 for massflashing the backup image. Despite initial success in creating a backup image, users encounter errors during the flashing process to the new device. The main symptoms include:

• Error messages indicating "No devices to flash" during the backup process
• Failure to flash the backup image onto the new device
• Inability to access the newly flashed device via SSH or display output

The issue occurs during the setup phase when trying to replicate an existing Jetson environment onto a new device. It affects users running Jetpack 5.1.2 with L4T 35.4.1 on Jetson Orin Nano development boards.

Possible Causes

1. Incorrect command parameters: The initial attempts used outdated or incorrect parameters for the backup and restore commands, potentially causing the process to fail.

2. Firmware incompatibility: There might be compatibility issues between the backup image and the target device’s firmware version.

3. Hardware differences: Slight variations in hardware between the source and target Jetson devices could lead to compatibility problems during the cloning process.

4. USB communication issues: Errors suggesting timeouts in USB write operations indicate potential problems with the USB connection or drivers.

5. Recovery mode issues: Failure to properly enter recovery mode on the target device could prevent successful flashing.

6. Modified hardware: The use of third-party modified Jetson boards may introduce unforeseen complications in the standard backup and restore process.

Troubleshooting Steps, Solutions & Fixes

1. Use correct command parameters:
   For L4T 35.4.1, use the -e nvme0n1 parameter instead of modifying scripts. Run the following command:

   sudo ./tools/backup_restore/l4t_backup_restore.sh -e nvme0n1 -b -c jetson-orin-nano-devkit
   

2. Create and verify backup image:
   Ensure the backup image is created successfully:

   sudo ./tools/backup_restore/l4t_backup_restore.sh -e nvme0n1 -b jetson-orin-nano-devkit
   

   This should create a backup image (nvme0n1p1.tar.gz) of approximately 70GB.

3. Generate massflash package:
   Create the massflash package using:

   sudo ./tools/kernel_flash/l4t_initrd_flash.sh --use-backup-image --no-flash --network usb0 --massflash 1 jetson-orin-nano-devkit nvme0n1
   

   Verify that the package is generated at /path/to/Linux_for_Tegra/mfi_jetson-orin-nano-devkit.tar.gz.

4. Prepare target device:
   Put the new Jetson device into recovery mode before flashing.

5. Flash the target device:
   Use the following command to flash the new device:

   sudo ./tools/kernel_flash/l4t_initrd_flash.sh --flash-only --massflash 1 --network usb0
   

6. Troubleshoot USB issues:
   If encountering USB write timeout errors, try the following:

   • Use a different USB cable
   • Try a different USB port on the host computer
   • Ensure proper drivers are installed on the host computer

7. Verify successful restore:
   After flashing, attempt to restore the backup using:

   sudo ./tools/backup_restore/l4t_backup_restore.sh -e nvme0n1 -r jetson-orin-nano-devkit
   

8. Access the restored device:
   If unable to SSH or see display output:

   • Wait a few minutes for the system to fully boot
   • Check network configurations
   • Use the USB-C port to access the device via /dev/ttyGS0 on the host PC

9. Obtain debug information:
   For detailed debugging, access the serial console:

   • For standard Jetson devices, follow the guide at JetsonHacks for setting up a serial debug console
   • For modified boards, use SSH or the USB-C port to access /dev/ttyGS0 on the host PC

10. Consider alternative methods:
    If the massflash method continues to fail, consider using individual backup and restore commands without the massflash option.

By following these steps systematically, users should be able to successfully clone their Jetson Orin Nano SSD data to a new device. If problems persist, consulting NVIDIA’s official support channels or community forums may provide additional device-specific solutions.