Increase UDA Partition Size with ROOTFS_AB=1 ROOTFS_ENC=1

Issue Overview

Users of the Nvidia Jetson Orin Nano Dev board are experiencing issues with increasing the User Data Area (UDA) partition size when configuring dual root filesystem (rootfs) setups. The specific symptoms include:

• Users report that despite modifying the ROOTFSSIZE parameter in the configuration file (p3767.conf.common) to allocate 40GiB for rootfs, the UDA size remains at 400MB after flashing.
• The problem occurs during the setup process when attempting to flash images onto the device and configure storage settings.
• Users have noted that their hardware specifications include an 8GB Jetson Orin Nano Devkit and a 64GB SSD, running L4T R35.4.1.
• The issue is consistent across multiple attempts, indicating a potential configuration or compatibility problem.
• This limitation significantly impacts user experience by restricting available storage space for applications and data.

Possible Causes

Several potential causes for this issue have been identified:

• Hardware Incompatibilities or Defects: The SSD or other components may not be fully compatible with the Jetson Orin Nano, leading to limitations in partitioning.

• Software Bugs or Conflicts: There may be bugs in the L4T version being used that prevent proper allocation of partition sizes.

• Configuration Errors: Incorrect settings in the configuration files could lead to improper partitioning.

• Driver Issues: Outdated or incompatible drivers may hinder the device’s ability to recognize and allocate the SSD space correctly.

• Environmental Factors: Power supply issues or overheating could potentially affect performance during flashing operations.

• User Errors or Misconfigurations: Mistakes in command syntax or misinterpretation of instructions could lead to improper execution of flashing procedures.

Troubleshooting Steps, Solutions & Fixes

To address the issue of UDA partition size not reflecting changes, users can follow these troubleshooting steps and solutions:

1. Verify Configuration Changes:

   • Ensure that ROOTFSSIZE=40GiB is correctly set in p3767.conf.common.
   • Double-check that no typos exist in command syntax during flashing.

2. Adjust Partition Layout:

   • As suggested by a forum user, move the UDA partition to the end of the disk layout before secondary_gpt.
   • Change its allocation_attribute to 0x808 to allow for proper resizing.

3. Run Flash Commands Correctly:

   • Use the following commands to generate images and flash them:

     sudo ROOTFS_AB=1 ./tools/kernel_flash/l4t_initrd_flash.sh --showlogs -p "-c bootloader/t186ref/cfg/flash_t234_qspi.xml" --no-flash --network usb0 jetson-orin-nano-devkit internal
     
     echo "f0e0d0c0b0a001020304050607080900" > ekb.key
     
     sudo ROOTFS_AB=1 ROOTFS_ENC=1 ./tools/kernel_flash/l4t_initrd_flash.sh --showlogs --no-flash --external-device nvme0n1p1 -i ./ekb.key -c ./tools/kernel_flash/flash_l4t_t234_nvme_rootfs_ab_enc.xml --external-only -S 20GiB --append --network usb0 jetson-orin-nano-devkit external
     
     sudo ./tools/kernel_flash/l4t_initrd_flash.sh --showlogs --network usb0 --flash-only
     

4. Check for Software Updates:

   • Ensure that you are using the latest version of L4T and check for any available updates that may address bugs related to partitioning.

5. Testing with Different Configurations:

   • If possible, test with different SSDs or configurations to isolate whether the issue is hardware-related.

6. Consult Documentation:

   • Review Nvidia’s official documentation for any additional parameters or settings that may impact partition sizes.

7. Best Practices:

   • Always back up existing data before making significant changes to partitions.
   • Keep your development environment updated with the latest tools and libraries from Nvidia.

By following these steps, users should be able to diagnose and potentially resolve issues related to UDA partition sizing on their Jetson Orin Nano Dev boards. Further investigation may be needed if problems persist after applying these solutions.