backup-restore

name	backup-restore
description	Backup and restore a reComputer Jetson system image using the L4T backup/restore script. Requires Ubuntu host, USB-C cable, and the matching JetPack BSP package.

Backup and Restore reComputer Jetson System Image

Hardware required: Ubuntu host PC, USB-C cable, reComputer J3011 (JetPack 5.1.3). The backup and restore operations use the same script with different flags — complete Phases 1–4 for both operations.

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Execution model

Run one phase at a time. After each phase:

• Relay all command output to the user.
• If output contains [STOP] → stop immediately, consult the failure decision tree below.
• If output ends with [OK] → tell the user "Phase N complete" and proceed to the next phase.

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Prerequisites

Requirement	Detail
Host OS	Ubuntu 20.04 or 22.04 (native, not VM)
Cable	USB-C data cable ≤1.5 m
BSP package	Jetson_Linux_R35.5.0_aarch64.tbz2 (JetPack 5.1.3)
Flashing package	mfi_recomputer-orin (Seeed massflash image)
Disk space	≥64 GB free on host for backup image

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Phase 1 — Enter force recovery mode (physical steps, no commands)

Do these steps in order:

1. Power off the reComputer J3011 completely.
2. Locate the REC (recovery) button and GND pin on the carrier board.
3. Hold the REC button (or short REC to GND with a jumper).
4. While holding REC, connect the USB-C cable from the Jetson to the Ubuntu host.
5. Apply power to the Jetson; wait 2–3 seconds, then release REC / remove the jumper.

Verify on the host:

lsusb | grep -i nvidia
# Expected: Bus 00x Device 00x: ID 0955:7045 NVIDIA Corp. APX

[OK] when the NVIDIA APX device appears. [STOP] if it does not — see failure decision tree.

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Phase 2 — Download and extract BSP

Download Jetson_Linux_R35.5.0_aarch64.tbz2 from the NVIDIA L4T archive, then extract:

tar -xvzf Jetson_Linux_R35.5.0_aarch64.tbz2
# Produces: Linux_for_Tegra/

[OK] when extraction completes without errors and Linux_for_Tegra/ directory exists.

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Phase 3 — Merge BSP into flashing package

Copy BSP files into the Seeed massflash package without overwriting existing files:

sudo cp -rn Linux_for_Tegra/* mfi_recomputer-orin/

[OK] when the command completes with no errors.

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Phase 4 — Confirm board name

Find the correct board config name before running backup or restore:

cd mfi_recomputer-orin
ls | grep "\.conf"
# Note the board name, e.g. recomputer-orin-j3011.conf → board name is recomputer-orin-j3011

[OK] when you have identified the .conf filename to use as the -b argument.

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Phase 5a — Run backup

# Run from inside mfi_recomputer-orin/
sudo ./tools/backup_restore/l4t_backup_restore.sh -e nvme0n1 -b recomputer-orin

Replace recomputer-orin with the board name identified in Phase 4 (without .conf).

Expected: script prints progress and ends with a success message. The backup image is written to the backup/ subdirectory.

[OK] when the script exits cleanly. [STOP] on any error — see failure decision tree.

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Phase 5b — Run restore (optional, only if restoring)

Ensure the device is in force recovery mode (redo Phase 1), then:

# Run from inside mfi_recomputer-orin/
sudo ./tools/backup_restore/l4t_backup_restore.sh -e nvme0n1 -r recomputer-orin

Replace recomputer-orin with the same board name used during backup.

[OK] when the script exits cleanly and the device reboots. [STOP] on any error — see failure decision tree.

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Failure decision tree

Symptom	Action
lsusb shows no NVIDIA APX device	Device not in recovery mode. Redo Phase 1. Try a different USB port. Confirm cable is data-rated (not charge-only).
Recovery mode entered but device disappears mid-operation	Insufficient power or bad cable. Use the official power adapter and a cable ≤1.5 m.
l4t_backup_restore.sh: No such file or directory	BSP merge incomplete. Rerun Phase 3 and confirm tools/backup_restore/ exists inside mfi_recomputer-orin/.
Script fails with "board not found" or config error	Wrong board name passed to -b. Redo Phase 4 and use the exact filename stem from ls *.conf.
Backup script stalls or times out	USB instability. Flash from bare-metal Ubuntu (not a VM). Reconnect USB and retry from Phase 1.
Restore completes but device won't boot	Backup image may be corrupt or from a mismatched board. Verify the backup was taken from the same device and board config.

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Reference files

• references/source.body.md — full Seeed Wiki tutorial with screenshots and additional context (reference only)