Jetson Orin Nano QSPI Flashing Issues on Custom Carrier Boards

Issue Overview

Users are experiencing inconsistent behavior when flashing Jetpack to Jetson Orin Nano modules on custom carrier boards. The issue appears to be related to the charge number (production batch) of the modules. Specifically:

• Modules with charge number 0524 work fine
• Modules with charge number 5123 consistently fail during flashing

The error occurs during the QSPI (Quad Serial Peripheral Interface) flashing process, with the following message appearing:

000000004d4d2c01: E> NV3P_SERVER: Failed to initialize partition table from GPT.

This issue has been observed with both Jetpack 5.1.1 and 5.1.2, using custom BSP (Board Support Package).

Possible Causes

1. Hardware differences between production batches:
   The QSPI chip on earlier modules has a protection bit turned on, which cannot be handled correctly by the MB2 bootloader.

2. Software incompatibility:
   The custom BSP used may not be fully compatible with all module versions.

3. Flashing command incompatibility:
   The flashing command used may not be suitable for custom carrier boards and non-devkit System on Module (SOM).

Troubleshooting Steps, Solutions & Fixes

1. Use the updated flashing command:
   For Jetpack 5.x:

   sudo ./tools/kernel_flash/l4t_initrd_flash.sh -p "--no-systemimg -c bootloader/t186ref/cfg/flash_t234_qspi.xml" --network usb0 jetson-orin-nano-devkit internal
   

   For Jetpack 6:

   sudo ./tools/kernel_flash/l4t_initrd_flash.sh -p "--no-systemimg -c bootloader/generic/cfg/flash_t234_qspi.xml" --network usb0 jetson-orin-nano-devkit internal
   

2. For custom carrier boards and non-devkit SOMs, modify the flashing command:

   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 p3509-a02+p3767-0000 internal
   

   Replace "p3509-a02+p3767-0000" with your specific board name.

3. Check the module’s production date:

   • Newer modules should not have this issue as the protection bit is turned off by default.
   • If using older modules, be aware that the QSPI chip protection bit may cause flashing issues.

4. Consider updating to the latest Jetpack version:

   • Newer versions may include fixes for known issues with older module batches.

5. If using a custom BSP:

   • Ensure that the custom BSP is compatible with your specific module version.
   • Consider testing with the standard NVIDIA BSP to isolate whether the issue is related to the custom BSP.

6. For persistent issues:

   • Contact NVIDIA support for further assistance, providing details about your module’s charge number and the specific errors encountered.

7. For future purchases:

   • When ordering new Jetson Orin Nano modules, inquire about the production batch or charge number to ensure compatibility with your existing setup.