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Flashing Guide

Prerequisites​

1. Hardware Requirements:​

  • JetCore carrier board
  • NVIDIA Jetson module (e.g., Jetson Xavier NX, Nano, or Orin)
  • Power adapter compatible with JetCore
  • USB-A to USB-C cable (or micro-USB, depending on the board)
  • HDMI cable and display (optional for local interface)
  • USB keyboard and mouse (optional)

2. Software Requirements:​

  • NVIDIA JetPack SDK (latest version recommended)
  • NVIDIA SDK Manager (available for Ubuntu Linux)
  • Ubuntu Linux PC (18.04 or 20.04 preferred)
  • Compatible JetCore firmware or software (provided by Vecros, if custom)

Additional Resources​

Two methods to flash the board:​

SDK Manager:​

This is a GUI-based solution by Nvidia which can be found from the link below:

https://docs.nvidia.com/sdk-manager/install-with-sdkm-jetson/index.html

note

Keep it in mind that at the time of writing this document, we chose to install Jetpack 5.1.2.

Command Line:​

You could benefit from Nvidia flash guide .

Step 1: Setup the Environment​

  1. Download and install the NVIDIA SDK Manager on your Ubuntu PC.
    • You can get it from the NVIDIA Developer website.
  2. Create an NVIDIA developer account (if you don’t already have one).

Step 2: Connect JetCore to the Host PC​

  1. Attach the NVIDIA Jetson module to the JetCore carrier board.
  2. Connect the USB-C (or micro-USB) port on the JetCore board to your host PC using the cable.
  3. Power on the JetCore board using its adapter.

Step 3: Put the JetCore in Recovery Mode​

  1. Press and hold the Force Recovery button on the JetCore board (often marked as REC or RST).
  2. While holding the Recovery button, press and release the Power button to reboot the board into recovery mode.
  3. Release the Recovery button after a few seconds. - The device should now be in recovery mode. On the host PC, it will be detected as an NVIDIA Corp. device when you run lsusb in the terminal.

Step 4: Flash the Operating System​

  1. Launch the NVIDIA SDK Manager on your host PC.
  2. Log in using your NVIDIA developer credentials.
  3. Select the appropriate Jetson module and JetPack version for your setup.
  4. Choose the installation components (e.g., OS image, developer tools, CUDA, and other libraries).
  5. Follow the on-screen instructions to flash the board.
    • The SDK Manager will download the necessary software and transfer it to the JetCore board.
  6. Wait for the flashing process to complete. This may take 30–60 minutes, depending on the setup.

Step 5: First Boot and Configuration​

  1. Once the flashing is complete, reboot the JetCore board.
    • If you have connected an HDMI display, the system will boot into the initial setup screen.
  2. Complete the initial setup process:
    • Language, time zone, and Wi-Fi (if applicable).
    • User account setup.
  3. Install any additional packages or custom configurations provided by Vecros.

Step 6: Testing and Validation​

  1. Verify that all interfaces on the JetCore board are working:
    • USB, Ethernet, UART, CAN, PWM, etc.
  2. Check GPU acceleration by running a sample CUDA application (e.g., nbody or vectorAdd).
  3. Confirm that the board can connect to the internet and other networked devices.

Troubleshooting​

  • If the JetCore is not detected:
    • Check the USB cable connection.
    • Re-enter recovery mode by repeating Step 3.
  • If flashing fails:
    • Ensure that you have sufficient disk space and a stable internet connection on the host PC.
    • Re-download the JetPack SDK components if necessary.
  • For custom firmware or advanced setup:
    • Refer to Vecros documentation or contact Vecros support.

Optional: Advanced Setup​

  • If the JetCore board requires a custom Linux kernel or additional drivers, refer to the kernel build guide provided by Vecros.
  • Enable SSH access for headless operation:
    • sudo apt install openssh-server
  • Install any additional AI frameworks like TensorFlow or PyTorch as needed for your application.