Flashing Issues with Jetson Orin Nano Developer Kit

Issue Overview

Users are experiencing difficulties when attempting to flash the Jetson Orin Nano Developer Kit using the NVIDIA SDK Manager. The flashing process stops at around 96% completion, resulting in an error. This issue occurs during the initial setup of the device, particularly when trying to flash to an NVMe module attached to the Jetson device. The problem appears to be consistent across multiple attempts and affects the user’s ability to properly set up and use the developer kit.

Possible Causes

1. Incompatible or outdated SDK Manager version
2. Incorrect hardware configuration or connection issues
3. Insufficient disk space on the host machine or target device
4. Corrupted or incomplete system image download
5. Firmware or bootloader incompatibility
6. NVMe module compatibility or recognition issues
7. Power supply instability or inadequacy
8. Host system compatibility issues (e.g., using Ubuntu 22.04 instead of 20.04)

Troubleshooting Steps, Solutions & Fixes

1. Use JetPack 5 instead of JetPack 6:

   • JetPack 6 is still in developer preview and may cause unexpected errors for beginners.
   • Download JetPack 5 from the NVIDIA Developer website.

2. Ensure proper recovery mode:

   • Put the Jetson Orin Nano into Force Recovery Mode (RCM) before flashing.
   • Connect pins 9 and 10 of the Button Header while inserting the DC power plug.

3. Use the manual flashing method:

   • Follow the instructions in the NVIDIA Jetson Linux Developer Guide for manually setting up a flash drive for booting.
   • Use the l4t_initrd_flash.sh script directly instead of SDK Manager.

4. Set correct environment variables:

   • Use the appropriate BOARDID, BOARDSKU, FAB, and BOARDREV values for your specific Jetson Orin Nano model.
   • For Jetson Orin Nano Developer Kit (Nano 8GB), use:

     BOARDID=3767
     BOARDSKU=0003 or 0005
     FAB=300
     

5. Use a compatible host system:

   • Ensure you’re using Ubuntu 20.04 for JetPack 5, as it’s required for full SDK Manager functionality.
   • For command-line tools only, a wider range of Linux host PCs may work.

6. Verify hardware connections:

   • Double-check all connections, including power supply, NVMe module, and USB connections.
   • Ensure the power supply meets the required specifications (5V-2A for Nano or 9-19V for Orin Nano).

7. Check for sufficient disk space:

   • Ensure both the host machine and target device have adequate free space.

8. Use a serial debug console:

   • Set up a serial debug console to capture detailed device-side logs during the flashing process.
   • This can provide more insight into where the flashing process is failing.

9. Try flashing to the eMMC or SD card first:

   • If issues persist with NVMe, attempt to flash to the onboard eMMC or an SD card to isolate the problem.

10. Update QSPI bootloaders:

    • If using JetPack 6.x SD Card image for the first time, update the QSPI bootloaders by installing JetPack 6 on your SD Card using SDK Manager.
    • This is a one-time requirement to update the QSPI bootloaders.

11. Check for and fix GPT (GUID Partition Table) issues:

    • If prompted about GPT corruption or space utilization, choose to fix the GPT to use all available space.

12. Collect and analyze logs:

    • Gather both host-side (SDK Manager) and device-side logs for comprehensive troubleshooting.
    • Use the sdkm_log file from SDK Manager and capture serial console output from the device.

By following these steps systematically, users should be able to resolve most flashing issues with the Jetson Orin Nano Developer Kit. If problems persist, consider reaching out to NVIDIA support or community forums with detailed logs and information about the specific hardware configuration and steps taken.