Scripts to help build the 4.9.253 kernel and modules onboard the Jetson Xavier NX (L4T 32.6.1, JetPack 4.6).
Note: The kernel source version must match the version of firmware flashed on the Jetson. For example, the source for the 4.9.253 kernel here is matched with L4T 32.6.1. This kernel compiled using this source tree may not work with newer versions or older versions of L4T.
As of this writing, the "official" way to build the Jetson Xavier NX kernel is to use a cross compiler on a Linux PC. This is an alternative which builds the kernel onboard the Jetson itself. These scripts will download the kernel source to the Jetson Xavier NX, and then compile the kernel and selected modules. The newly compiled kernel can then be installed. The kernel sources and build objects consume ~3GB.
These scripts are for building the kernel for the 64-bit L4T 32.6.1 (Ubuntu 18.04 based) operating system on the NVIDIA Jetson Xavier NX. The scripts should be run directly after flashing the Jetson with JetPack 4.6/L4T 32.6.1 from a host PC, or after flashing an SD card. There are six scripts:
Downloads the kernel sources for L4T from the NVIDIA website, decompresses them and opens a graphical editor on the .config file. Note that this also sets the .config file to the current system, and also sets the local version to the current local version, i.e., -tegra
Please read the notes below about installing the kernel. Compiles the kernel using make. The script commands make the kernel Image file. Installing the Image file on to the system is a separate step. Note that the make is limited to the Image and modules.
The other parts of the kernel build, such as building the device tree, require that the result be 'signed' and flashed from the the NVIDIA tools on a host PC.
Compiles the modules using make and then installs them.
Please read the notes below about installing the kernel. Copies the Image file created by compiling the kernel to the /boot directory. Note that while developing you will want to be more conservative than this: You will probably want to copy the new kernel Image to a different name in the boot directory, and modify /boot/extlinux/extlinux.conf to have entry points at the old image, or the new image. This way, if things go sideways you can still boot the machine using the serial console.
You will want to make a copy of the original Image before the copy, something like:
$ cp /boot/Image $INSTALL_DIR/Image.orig
$ ./copyImage.sh
$ echo "New Image created and placed in /boot"
Edit the .config file located in /usr/src/kernel/kernel-4.9 This file must be present (from the getKernelSources.sh script) before launching the file. Note that if you change the local version, you will need to make both the kernel and modules and install them.
Removes all of the kernel sources and compressed source files. You may want to make a backup of the files before deletion.
Note Starting with JetPack 4.5, the kernel is now stored in QSPI-Nor flash memory. The kernel may be signed, making a kernel installed independently not work correctly. While there are workarounds, none are implemented in this repository. Copying the image may not take effect.
The copyImage.sh script copies the Image to the current device. If you are building the kernel on an external device, for example a SSD, you will probably want to copy the Image file over to the eMMC in the eMMC's /boot directory. The Jetson will usually try to boot from the eMMC before switching to a different device. Study the boot sequence of the Jetson to properly understand which Image file is being used.
- JetPack 4.6
- vL4T32.6.1
- L4T 32.6.1
- JetPack 4.5.1
- vL4T32.5.1
- L4T 32.5.1 (JetPack 4.5.1)
- JetPack 4.5
- vL4T32.5.0
- L4T 32.5.0 (JetPack 4.5)
- JetPack 4.4
- vL4T32.4.3
- L4T 32.4.3 (JetPack 4.4)
- Initial release
- vL4T32.4.1
- L4T 32.4.1 (JetPack 4.4 DP)
MIT License
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