Jetson Hangs at UEFI Firmware Stage After Successful Flashing

Issue Overview

Users are experiencing a boot failure with the Nvidia Jetson Orin Nano after flashing a modified kernel and device tree to support multiple IMX-219 cameras. The specific symptoms include hanging at the UEFI firmware stage, with the following error message displayed in the serial console log:

ASSERT [DxeCore] /out/nvidia/bootloader/uefi/Jetson_RELEASE/edk2/MdeModulePkg/Core/Dxe/DxeMain/DxeMain.c(562): !(((INTN)(RETURN_STATUS)(Status)) < 0)

This issue occurs after a successful kernel build and flashing process, which includes modifications to device tree files. The user has confirmed that the Jetson was able to boot successfully prior to these changes, indicating that the problem is likely related to the modifications made. The frequency of this issue appears to be consistent among users attempting similar configurations, significantly impacting their ability to utilize the Jetson for multi-camera applications.

Possible Causes

1. Hardware Incompatibilities or Defects: Modifications to the device tree may not align with the hardware configuration, leading to boot failures.
2. Software Bugs or Conflicts: The assertion error suggests potential bugs in the UEFI firmware or conflicts with the modified kernel.
3. Configuration Errors: Changes made to device tree files may introduce incorrect configurations that prevent proper booting.
4. Driver Issues: Mismatched or missing drivers in the root filesystem could lead to UEFI reporting drivers as discovered but not loaded.
5. Environmental Factors: Power supply issues or overheating could affect boot stability.
6. User Errors or Misconfigurations: Incorrect flashing procedures or commands may lead to incomplete installations.

Troubleshooting Steps, Solutions & Fixes

1. Verify Device Tree Modifications:

   • Double-check changes made in tegra234-p3767-camera-p3768-imx219-quad.dts and related files to ensure they are compatible with the hardware.
   • Revert changes temporarily to confirm if they are the cause of the boot failure.

2. Check Kernel Modules:

   • Ensure that the correct kernel modules are loaded by running:

     ls /lib/modules/
     

   • If you observe discrepancies (e.g., 5.10.104-tegra vs 5.10.120-tegra), reinstall modules:

     sudo make ARCH=arm64 LOCALVERSION=-tegra -j6 O=/public_sources/Linux_for_Tegra/source/public/kernel_out --output-sync modules_install INSTALL_MOD_PATH=/public_sources/Linux_for_Tegra/source/public/modules_out
     

3. Flashing Procedure:

   • Use the following command for flashing with logs enabled:

     sudo ./tools/kernel_flash/l4t_initrd_flash.sh --external-device nvme0n1p1 -c tools/kernel_flash/flash_l4t_external.xml --showlogs --network usb0 p3509-a02+p3767-0000 internal
     

   • If issues persist, try using flash.sh with caution, ensuring no busy-spin occurs.

4. Inspect extlinux.conf:

   • Verify that extlinux.conf points correctly to your kernel and device tree blob (DTB):

     MENU TITLE L4T boot options
     
     LABEL primary
     MENU LABEL primary kernel
     LINUX /boot/Image
     FDT /boot/dtb/kernel_tegra234-p3767-0000-p3509-a02.dtb
     INITRD /boot/initrd
     APPEND ${cbootargs}
     

5. Testing on Devkit:

   • If a custom board is being used, test configurations on an official devkit first to isolate hardware-specific issues.

6. Review Serial Console Logs:

   • Analyze logs for any additional errors or warnings that could provide insight into where the boot process fails.

7. Revert and Rebuild:

   • As a last resort, revert all changes and rebuild from a known good state before reapplying modifications incrementally.

8. Documentation and Updates:

   • Regularly check Nvidia’s developer forums and documentation for updates on known issues and patches related to UEFI firmware and JetPack versions.

9. Community Support:

   • Engage with community forums for shared experiences and solutions from other users who faced similar issues.

By following these steps, users can systematically diagnose and resolve boot issues associated with their Jetson Orin Nano boards after modifications have been made.