2-2 Flashing a Clean Jetson System

Learning Objectives

This section helps readers master the system flashing process for a Pandora device equipped with a Jetson Orin Nano or Orin NX module. After completing this section, readers will be able to:

1. Understand how Jetson Recovery Mode works and how the flashing mechanism operates.

2. Become familiar with the full procedure to flash a Pandora image to an NVMe SSD using an Ubuntu host PC.

3. Perform the required hardware connections, software environment setup, and flashing commands correctly.

4. Diagnose and resolve common flashing failures to ensure stable system operation.

5. Prepare a clean system baseline for subsequent AI development (e.g., machine vision, edge inference).

This document provides practical, step-by-step guidance suitable for both beginners and advanced developers.

Preparation

Hardware Requirements

1. Pandora device: Equipped with Jetson Orin Nano (4GB/8GB) or Orin NX (8GB/16GB)

2. Host PC: x86_64 system running Ubuntu 20.*

3. USB cable: USB Type-A to Type-C data cable (not a charge-only cable)

4. Power adapter: Must meet Pandora power specifications

5. NVMe SSD: Installed in Pandora’s M.2 Key M 2280 slot (PCIe Gen3 or Gen4 recommended)

Software Requirements

Image package (module-dependent): Use the .tbz2 image package that matches the installed Jetson module and memory size.

Examples:
- Orin Nano 4GB：Linux_for_Tegra_pandora_orin_nano_4g_r3X_X_X_X_X_X_YYYYMMDD.tbz2
- Orin Nano 8GB：Linux_for_Tegra_pandora_orin_nano_8g_r3X_X_X_X_X_X_YYYYMMDD.tbz2
- Orin NX 8GB：Linux_for_Tegra_pandora_orin_nx_8g_r3X_X_X_X_X_X_YYYYMMDD.tbz2
- Orin NX 16GB：Linux_for_Tegra_pandora_orin_nx_16g_r3X_X_X_X_X_X_YYYYMMDD.tbz2
Disk space: Sufficient free space on the host PC for extraction and flashing.
Tools: tar and usbutils installed on the host PC (to ensure lsusb is available).

Flashing Procedure

Step 1: Connect the USB Cable

Use a USB Type-A to Type-C data cable to connect Pandora’s USB_0 port (near the 40-pin header) to a USB port on the host PC.

Step 2: Enter Recovery Mode

1. Power off Pandora, and make sure there is no power input.

2. Press and hold the Recovery button.

3. Connect the power cable.

4. Press the Power button to boot.

5. After 5 seconds, release the Recovery button

Step 3: Verify Recovery Mode

1. On the host PC, run:

lsusb

2. If you see the following, Pandora is in Recovery Mode:

ID 0955:7323 NVIDIA Corp. APX

3. If it does not appear, check the USB connection and repeat Step 2.

Step 4: Copy and Extract the Image Package

1. Copy Linux_for_Tegra_Pandora_r3x_x_x_x_x_x_OrinNx16g.tbz2 to a working directory on the host PC (e.g., ~/jetson_flash).

2. Enter the directory and run:

# Copy the tbz2 file to a directory on Ubuntu (e.g., ~/jetson_flash)
# Then enter that directory and run:
sudo su
tar -jxvf Linux_for_Tegra_pandora_orin_nx_16g_r3X_X_X_X_X_X_YYYYMMDD.tbz2

Step 5: Switch to the Flash Tool Directory

1. Go to the flashing tool directory:

cd Linux_for_Tegra/yuan_flash/12_MINI6N0-MB-NX

2. Confirm the script 4_pc_flash_orin_nx_nano_flash_only.sh exists in this folder.

If it is missing, verify the image package version or download the correct file.

Step 6: Run the Flash Command

1. Execute the flashing script:

./4_pc_flash_orin_nx_nano_flash_only.sh

2. The flashing process typically takes 30–60 minutes, depending on host performance and NVMe SSD speed.

3. When flashing completes, the terminal will show a completion message similar to the screenshot

Step 7: Reboot Jetson

1. After flashing, power-cycle or reboot Pandora (automatically or manually).

2. Log in with the default credentials:

Username: pandora
Password: pandora

3. After login, verify the release info:

cat /etc/yuan_tegra_release

⚠️ Notes and Reminders

1. USB cable requirement: Use a USB cable that supports data transfer. Charge-only cables will not work for Recovery Mode.

2. Recovery Mode verification: If you do not see ID 0955:7323, re-check the USB port/cable and repeat the button sequence.

3. Do not interrupt flashing: Do not unplug power or USB during flashing/restoring (including QSPI flashing), or the NVMe/QSPI may be corrupted.

4. Failure troubleshooting:

(1) Verify image package integrity (file not corrupted)

(2) Reconnect the USB cable or reboot the host PC, then try Recovery Mode again

(3) Ensure required USB tools/packages are installed on the Ubuntu host

5. Power stability: Use a stable power source to avoid failures caused by undervoltage during flashing