Customizing Nvidia Jetson Orin Nano Rootfs

Issue Overview

Users are experiencing difficulties in customizing the Nvidia Jetson Orin Nano rootfs image before flashing the device. The specific challenge involves adding additional software packages like CLion, RViz, and VSCode to the image during the flashing process, rather than installing them after the device has been flashed. Initially, the user attempted to use the SDK Manager running in a Docker container, but encountered issues with loading server data after logging in.

Possible Causes

1. Misunderstanding of the rootfs customization process: The user may have incorrectly assumed that the SDK Manager in Docker was the appropriate tool for customizing the rootfs.

2. Network connectivity issues: The failure to load server data in the Docker container could be due to network configuration problems within the container.

3. Incorrect approach: Attempting to use the SDK Manager for rootfs customization instead of directly modifying the rootfs files.

Troubleshooting Steps, Solutions & Fixes

1. Understand the correct approach:

   • The SDK Manager is not the appropriate tool for customizing the rootfs.
   • Instead, focus on directly modifying the rootfs files before flashing.

2. Follow the official Nvidia documentation:

   • Refer to the Nvidia Jetson Linux Developer Guide for instructions on customizing the rootfs.
   • The guide provides detailed steps for modifying the root filesystem before flashing.

3. Customize the rootfs:

   • Locate the rootfs directory in your Jetson Linux package (typically in the Linux_for_Tegra/rootfs/ folder).
   • Use the chroot command to enter the rootfs environment:

     sudo chroot /path/to/Linux_for_Tegra/rootfs
     

   • Once inside the chroot environment, you can install additional packages using apt:

     apt update
     apt install clion rviz vscode
     

   • Exit the chroot environment when finished:

     exit
     

4. Create a custom rootfs package:

   • After customizing the rootfs, create a new rootfs package:

     cd /path/to/Linux_for_Tegra
     sudo tar -cpjf custom_rootfs.tbz2 rootfs
     

5. Flash the custom rootfs:

   • Use the --rootfs-dir option with the flash.sh script to specify your custom rootfs:

     sudo ./flash.sh --rootfs-dir /path/to/custom_rootfs jetson-orin-nano mmcblk0p1
     

6. Verify the installation:

   • After flashing and booting the Jetson Orin Nano, check if the installed packages are present:

     dpkg -l | grep -E "clion|rviz|vscode"
     

By following these steps, you should be able to create a customized Nvidia Ubuntu image for your Jetson Orin Nano with additional software packages pre-installed during the flashing process.