Jetson Orin Nano Fails to Quantize NanoVLM Model

Issue Overview

Users are experiencing issues with the Nvidia Jetson Orin Nano Dev board when attempting to quantize the NanoVLM model. The specific symptoms include:

• The process gets stuck with the message: "Start computing and quantizing weights… This may take a while" and shows progress at "get old param: 1% 2/197" before rebooting automatically.
• Users suspect that the problem is related to memory shortages, particularly when using a MicroSD card (128GB) for storage.

The issue occurs during the execution of commands to run the NanoVLM model, specifically when downloading and processing the model. This problem has been reported consistently among users, indicating a potential systemic issue rather than isolated incidents. The impact on user experience is significant, as it prevents successful model quantization and disrupts intended workflows.

Possible Causes

Several potential causes for this issue have been identified:

• Memory Shortages: The Jetson Orin Nano may not have sufficient RAM to handle the operations required for quantizing the model, leading to system instability and automatic reboots.

• Hardware Limitations: The MicroSD card used may have slower read/write speeds compared to other storage options, exacerbating memory issues during heavy computational tasks.

• Software Bugs: There may be bugs in the software or libraries used in conjunction with the NanoVLM model that could lead to failures during execution.

• Configuration Errors: Incorrect configurations in the setup or command parameters may contribute to the failures experienced by users.

• Driver Issues: Outdated or incompatible drivers could affect system performance and stability during intensive tasks.

Troubleshooting Steps, Solutions & Fixes

To address the issue of failing to quantize the NanoVLM model on the Nvidia Jetson Orin Nano, follow these troubleshooting steps:

1. Check System Resources:

   • Use the command free -h to check available memory.
   • Monitor system load using htop or top during execution.

2. Increase Swap Space:

   • If memory shortage is suspected, increase swap space on the MicroSD card:

     sudo fallocate -l 4G /swapfile
     sudo chmod 600 /swapfile
     sudo mkswap /swapfile
     sudo swapon /swapfile
     

   • Verify swap space with swapon --show.

3. Optimize Command Parameters:

   • Ensure that command parameters are set appropriately for your hardware capabilities. For instance, consider reducing --max-context-len or --max-new-tokens.

4. Update Software and Drivers:

   • Check for updates for your Jetson software stack and drivers. Use:

     sudo apt update
     sudo apt upgrade
     

5. Test with Different Storage Options:

   • If possible, test running the model from an SSD instead of a MicroSD card to see if performance improves.

6. Review Logs for Errors:

   • Check system logs for any error messages that occur before rebooting:

     dmesg | less
     

7. Consult Documentation:

   • Refer to Nvidia’s official documentation on increasing swap space and optimizing Jetson performance.

8. Community Solutions:

   • Engage with community forums for additional insights and solutions that worked for other users facing similar issues.

By following these steps, users can diagnose and potentially resolve issues related to quantizing models on the Jetson Orin Nano. If problems persist after trying these solutions, further investigation into hardware compatibility or software configurations may be necessary.