Corrupted SD Cards and NVMe Issues on Nvidia Jetson Orin Nano Dev Board

Issue Overview

Users of the Nvidia Jetson Orin Nano Dev board have reported issues related to corrupted storage media, specifically SD cards and NVMe drives. The symptoms include multiple EXT4 filesystem warnings indicating errors while reading directory blocks, leading to system instability and inability to access data.

The problem typically occurs after the board has been powered on for an extended period, such as over a weekend. Users have noted that, in some cases, the device may temporarily recover after a reboot, but this is not consistent. The context of the issue suggests that it may be related to improper shutdowns or power supply issues, although some users report no such incidents occurring.

The hardware involved includes both SD cards and NVMe drives, with indications that the NVMe drive may be particularly susceptible to corruption under certain conditions. The frequency of these issues appears to vary among users, with some experiencing recurring problems while others have not reported similar experiences.

The impact on user experience is significant, as corrupted storage can lead to data loss and system malfunctions, making it difficult for developers to utilize the board effectively.

Possible Causes

• Hardware Incompatibilities or Defects: Both SD cards and NVMe drives can suffer from inherent defects or incompatibilities with the Jetson Orin Nano, leading to corruption.

• Software Bugs or Conflicts: There may be underlying software bugs in the Jetson OS or issues related to filesystem management that contribute to data corruption.

• Configuration Errors: Misconfigurations during setup or operation could lead to improper handling of storage devices.

• Driver Issues: Outdated or faulty drivers may cause conflicts that result in filesystem errors.

• Environmental Factors: Power spikes, brownouts, or undervoltage situations can lead to corruption in solid-state devices.

• User Errors or Misconfigurations: Improper shutdowns or unexpected power losses during write operations can exacerbate corruption issues.

Troubleshooting Steps, Solutions & Fixes

1. Diagnosing the Problem:

   • Check system logs using dmesg for any relevant error messages.
   • Use the command cat /proc/partitions to verify if the storage devices are recognized by the system.

2. Isolating the Issue:

   • If possible, connect the SD card or NVMe drive to a Linux host PC to assess its health using tools like fsck for filesystems.
   • Test with different storage devices (both SD cards and NVMe) to determine if the issue persists across multiple units.

3. Potential Fixes:

   • If using an NVMe drive, consider booting from a USB device instead of the NVMe drive as a workaround.
   • Regularly back up important data and consider using dd commands to create disk images for recovery attempts.
   • If corruption recurs after rebooting, consider re-flashing the operating system and ensuring all firmware is updated.

4. Best Practices:

   • Ensure proper shutdown procedures are followed; avoid abrupt power loss.
   • Monitor power supply stability; use a UPS if necessary.
   • Regularly check for software updates related to drivers and operating systems.

5. Documentation and Resources:

   • Refer to Nvidia’s official documentation for any updates on known issues with the Orin Nano dev kit.
   • Check community forums for user-shared solutions regarding similar issues.

6. Unresolved Aspects:

   • Further investigation may be needed into specific bugs related to recurring corruption when booting from NVMe drives.
   • Users experiencing ongoing issues should consider creating dedicated threads for their specific hardware configurations and problems.

By following these steps and recommendations, users can better manage and potentially resolve issues related to corrupted storage on their Nvidia Jetson Orin Nano Dev boards.