How to Update Camera RTCU Debug Image on Nvidia Jetson Orin Nano Dev Board

Issue Overview

Users are experiencing issues while attempting to update the camera RTCU debug image on the Nvidia Jetson Orin Nano Dev board, specifically with the JP5.1.1 R35.3.1 version. The primary symptoms include:

• An error message during the flashing process: "ERROR: might be timeout in USB write. Error: Return value 3".
• Inability to boot the device properly, as indicated by the absence of the NVIDIA boot logo and failure to light up even when using a known working SSD.
• Users report that after attempting to reflash, the CPU fan operates normally at startup, but the device does not progress past this point.

The issue typically occurs during the setup and flashing process, particularly when executing specific commands to flash the debug image. It has been noted that users can still access recovery mode (RCM) after failures, but they struggle to boot into Linux without a successful debug image flash.

Possible Causes

The potential causes for the issues encountered include:

• Hardware Incompatibilities or Defects: The device may have underlying hardware issues that prevent successful flashing or booting.

• Software Bugs or Conflicts: There may be bugs in the flashing scripts or conflicts with existing firmware that hinder operations.

• Configuration Errors: Incorrect parameters or commands during the flashing process could lead to failures.

• Driver Issues: Outdated or incompatible drivers might affect communication between the host and the Jetson board.

• Environmental Factors: Power supply issues or overheating could impact performance and functionality during critical operations.

• User Errors or Misconfigurations: Users may not be following the correct procedures for entering recovery mode or executing flash commands.

Each of these causes can contribute to the observed problems, leading to unsuccessful attempts at updating the debug image and booting into Linux.

Troubleshooting Steps, Solutions & Fixes

To address these issues, follow these comprehensive troubleshooting steps:

1. Verify Recovery Mode:

   • Ensure the Orin Nano is in recovery mode before executing any flash commands.
   • Connect the device to the host computer via USB and confirm connection with:

     lsusb
     

2. Use SDK Manager:

   • Consider using NVIDIA SDK Manager for flashing as it may provide a more user-friendly interface and better error handling.

3. Reflash System:

   • If previous attempts fail, try reflashing using:

     sudo ./tools/kernel_flash/l4t_initrd_flash.sh --external-device nvme0n1p1 -c tools/kernel_flash/flash_l4t_external.xml -p "-c bootloader/t186ref/cfg/flash_t234_qspi.xml" --showlogs --network usb0 jetson-orin-nano-devkit internal
     

4. Check for Errors During Flashing:

   • Monitor logs closely while executing commands for any errors or warnings that may indicate what went wrong.

5. Generate Encrypt RCE Firmware:

   • Ensure that step 3 is correctly executed to generate encrypted firmware:

     # Command details were not provided; refer to documentation for specifics.
     

6. Verify Flash Success:

   • After flashing, check if the firmware was successfully updated by running:

     cat /sys/kernel/debug/camrtc/version
     

   • Look for expected output indicating successful firmware installation.

7. Check Kernel Messages:

   • Use dmesg to check kernel messages for any relevant logs related to camera initialization:

     dmesg | grep camrtc
     

8. Best Practices for Future Prevention:

   • Always ensure you are using compatible hardware and software versions.
   • Follow official documentation closely during setup and flashing processes.
   • Regularly check for updates on drivers and firmware from NVIDIA’s official resources.

9. Documentation and Resources:

   • Refer to NVIDIA’s official documentation for Jetson Orin Nano for detailed instructions on flashing and configuration.
   • Keep an eye on community forums for updates or similar issues faced by other users.

By following these steps, users should be able to diagnose and potentially resolve issues related to updating the camera RTCU debug image on their Nvidia Jetson Orin Nano Dev board.