Failed CUDA 12.2 Removal and Recovery Flash on Jetson Orin Nano

Issue Overview

Users are experiencing difficulties with the Jetson Orin Nano Developer Kit, specifically related to CUDA 12.2 removal and subsequent recovery flash attempts. The primary symptoms include:

• Failed uninstallation of CUDA 12.2
• Error messages indicating inability to delete control info files
• Flash failures using SDK Manager during recovery attempts
• Inconsistent behavior after successful recovery (e.g., bypassing initial setup screen, partial retention of old settings)

The issue appears to impact system functionality, preventing proper CUDA environment setup and causing Jetpack to be identified as missing. This problem affects the overall usability of the Jetson Orin Nano Developer Kit and hinders development workflows.

Possible Causes

1. Incorrect CUDA 12.2 installation: The initial problem stemmed from improper installation steps when enabling CUDA for OpenCV.

2. File system corruption: The error message suggesting inability to delete non-existent files points to potential file system inconsistencies.

3. SDK Manager compatibility issues: Problems with SDK Manager detecting or properly flashing the device could be due to software conflicts or outdated tools.

4. Host system configuration: Variations in behavior across different host systems (Ubuntu versions, WSL) suggest that host configuration may play a role in the issue.

5. USB connectivity problems: The use of a USB 2.0 cable and mentions of USB suspend features indicate that connection issues might contribute to flash failures.

6. Partial flash or incomplete recovery: The retention of old settings and mixed language configurations after recovery suggests that the flash process may not be completing fully or correctly.

Troubleshooting Steps, Solutions & Fixes

1. Attempt CUDA reinstallation:
   Try reinstalling the CUDA package to resolve broken dependencies:

   sudo apt reinstall -f nvidia-jetpack
   

2. Use alternative host systems:

   • Test flashing from different Ubuntu versions (18.04, 20.04, 22.04) on physical machines or through WSL.
   • If successful on one system, document the working configuration for future use.

3. USB connectivity optimization:

   • Use a high-quality USB 3.0 cable if available.
   • On Ubuntu hosts, disable USB suspend feature:

     sudo sed -i 's/^#*GRUB_CMDLINE_LINUX_DEFAULT="/GRUB_CMDLINE_LINUX_DEFAULT="usbcore.autosuspend=-1 /' /etc/default/grub
     sudo update-grub
     

4. SDK Manager troubleshooting:

   • Ensure you’re using the latest version of SDK Manager.
   • Clear SDK Manager cache and redownload components.
   • Run SDK Manager with elevated privileges:

     sudo ./sdkmanager
     

5. Recovery mode flashing:

   • Put the Jetson Orin Nano into recovery mode by connecting the Force Recovery pins.
   • Use the manual flashing method with the flash.sh script if SDK Manager fails:

     sudo ./flash.sh jetson-orin-nano-devkit mmcblk0p1
     

6. Clean flash attempt:

   • Delete the unpacked L4T folder and extract it again to remove any persistent settings:

     rm -rf /path/to/Linux_for_Tegra
     tar -xvf /path/to/Jetson_Linux_RXXX_AAAAAA_YYYYMMDD.tbz2
     cd Linux_for_Tegra
     

   • Flash without applying previous configurations:

     sudo ./flash.sh jetson-orin-nano-devkit mmcblk0p1
     

7. File system check:

   • Boot into recovery mode and perform a file system check:

     sudo fsck.ext4 -f /dev/mmcblk0p1
     

8. Jetpack component reinstallation:
   If the system boots but Jetpack is missing, try reinstalling individual components:

   sudo apt install nvidia-jetpack
   

9. Log analysis:

   • Review SDK Manager logs (SDKM_logs_*.zip) for specific error messages.
   • Check system logs (/var/log/syslog) for additional insights into flash failures.

10. Factory reset:
    As a last resort, perform a complete factory reset using the recovery image provided by NVIDIA.

If issues persist after trying these steps, consider reaching out to NVIDIA support with detailed logs and a description of attempted solutions. Additionally, check the Jetson forum for similar issues and potential community-driven solutions.