CUDA Cross-Compilation Failure on Ubuntu 20.04 for Nvidia Jetson

Issue Overview

Users are experiencing difficulties with CUDA cross-compilation for Nvidia Jetson on Ubuntu 20.04. The issue occurs during the setup process when attempting to install CUDA cross-compilation tools. Specifically, the installation of the cuda-cross-aarch64 package fails, preventing users from successfully setting up the cross-compilation environment. This problem impacts developers trying to compile CUDA applications for Jetson devices on x86 host machines, hindering the development process for Jetson-based projects.

Possible Causes

1. Incompatible CUDA Version: The CUDA version being installed may not be compatible with the Ubuntu 20.04 host system or the target Jetson device.

2. Incomplete Repository Setup: The CUDA repository might not be correctly configured, leading to package installation failures.

3. Dependency Issues: There could be missing or conflicting dependencies required for the CUDA cross-compilation tools.

4. Outdated System Packages: The host system’s packages may be outdated, causing conflicts with the CUDA installation.

5. Incorrect Installation Procedure: The user might be following outdated or incorrect installation steps for the specific CUDA version.

Troubleshooting Steps, Solutions & Fixes

1. Use NVIDIA’s Cross-Compilation Container:
   NVIDIA recommends using their official cross-compilation container, which provides a pre-configured environment for cross-compiling JetPack components.

   • Pull the appropriate container image:

     docker pull nvcr.io/nvidia/jetpack-linux-aarch64-crosscompile-x86:6.0
     

   • Run the container:

     docker run -it --rm nvcr.io/nvidia/jetpack-linux-aarch64-crosscompile-x86:6.0
     

2. Match Container Version with JetPack Version:
   Ensure you’re using the correct container version that matches your target JetPack version.

   • For CUDA 12.2 (JetPack 6.0), use:

     nvcr.io/nvidia/jetpack-linux-aarch64-crosscompile-x86:6.0
     

   • For CUDA 11.x (JetPack 5.x), use:

     nvcr.io/nvidia/jetpack-linux-aarch64-crosscompile-x86:5.1.2
     

3. Troubleshoot Container Issues:
   If you encounter problems with the container, such as failing to decompress targetfs.tbz2, try the following:

   • Ensure you have sufficient disk space.
   • Verify the integrity of the downloaded container image.
   • Check for any error messages during the decompression process and address them accordingly.

4. Manual Installation Troubleshooting:
   If you prefer not to use the container, try these steps:

   • Ensure your system is up to date:

     sudo apt update && sudo apt upgrade -y
     

   • Verify that you have the necessary dependencies installed:

     sudo apt install build-essential
     

   • Double-check the CUDA repository installation:

     sudo dpkg -i cuda-repo-cross-aarch64-ubuntu2004-12-2-local_12.2.12-1_all.deb
     sudo apt-key add /var/cuda-repo-cross-aarch64-ubuntu2004-12-2-local/7fa2af80.pub
     sudo apt update
     

   • Try installing CUDA cross-compilation tools with verbose output:

     sudo apt-get install cuda-cross-aarch64 -y -V
     

5. Check for Conflicting Packages:
   Remove any conflicting or outdated CUDA packages:

   sudo apt purge cuda* nvidia-cuda*
   sudo apt autoremove
   

   Then attempt the installation process again.

6. Verify System Architecture:
   Ensure you’re using the correct packages for your system architecture:

   uname -m
   

   Confirm that you’re downloading and installing the appropriate CUDA packages for your architecture.

7. Consult NVIDIA Developer Forums:
   If the issue persists, consider posting detailed error logs and system information on the NVIDIA Developer Forums for more specialized assistance.

Remember to always backup important data before making significant system changes. If you continue to experience issues, consider using the recommended cross-compilation container as it provides the most reliable and supported method for cross-compiling CUDA applications for Jetson devices.