First boot headless mode - asks for login/password?

Hello,

Just received my Thor and would like to flash it in headless mode. I followed Quick Start Guide — Jetson AGX Thor Developer Kit - User Guide and I’m at the step where I see the “L4T-README” drive mounted on my PC. So the flash seems a success.

Now I connect in serial with USB connected to USB-C next to HDMI (not the Debug USB) and I see this :

Screenshot from 2025-11-11 13-07-18

While I should see the CUI oem-config screen on my terminal. And of course, I didn’t configure any login/password so I’m quite stuck with this.

I definitely want to stay in headless mode, any solution ?

Hello @antoine.vanmalleghem,

That is interesting.

I would suggest you try pre-configuring the user name and password yourself with:

sudo ./l4t_create_default_user.sh -u <username> -p <password>

The script should be inside Linux_for_Tegra/tools.

Then try to access using the known credentials you set.

best regards,
Andrew
Embedded Software Engineer at ProventusNova

You could try ssh via network into Thor.

If it fails then as proventusnova said

cd ~/nvidia/nvidia_sdk/JetPack_7.0_Linux_JETSON_AGX_THOR_TARGETS/Linux_for_Tegra/tools

./l4t_create_default_user.sh --help
Usage:
l4t_create_default_user.sh [-u <username>] [-p <password>] [-a] [-h]
	-u | --username	- If not specified then default will be set to 'nvidia'.
	-p | --password	- If not set then randomized password will be generated.
	-a | --autologin - If specified autologin will be enabled. Default is disabled
	-n | --hostname - If not specified then default will be set to 'tegra-ubuntu'.
	-h | --help - print usage
	     --accept-license - Specified to accept the terms and conditions of EULA
Example:
l4t_create_default_user.sh -u nvidia -p NDZjMWM4
l4t_create_default_user.sh -u ubuntu -a
l4t_create_default_user.sh -n tegra

Then run something like

sudo ./l4t_create_default_user.sh l4t_create_default_user.sh -u yourUserName \
  -p pickaPassword -n nameYourThor

Then flash Thor again so it gets the just created home directory and user.

I need a username/password for ssh. The ssh server is available but I can’t login for the exact same reason unfortunately.

I’m not sure I understand the different steps. I try to install using the ISO method with the bootable key.

When do I have to execute this create_default_user script ?

Hello @antoine.vanmalleghem,

The create_default_user script needs to be executed before you flash the board.

How are you flashing your Jetson Thor ?
Is this something you have attempted before?

best regards,
Andrew
Embedded Software Engineer at ProventusNova

I flash it with the iso method and the bootable key as suggested by the quickstart guide ! I’m use to it to be honest but with Jetson Orin Nano.

But the suggestion you give me is if I use SDK Manager, isn’t it ?

@antoine.vanmalleghem,

Got it.
Yeah, I am also not too familiar with the ISO method, I always use either SDK Manager or the flash script.

But yeah, if you wanna use the script I mentioned you will need to use SDK manager.
It will download all the required scripts and materials into ~/nvidia/..../Linux_for_Tegra.
That is where you will find the l4t_create_default_user script, inside a directory called tools to be more precise.

That being said.
If you use SDK manager for flashing you might be able to go through the regular setup process as you would with a new linux machine.

Please let me know if you need further support during flashing process.
Should be fairly simple, if you find yourself doing something weirdly complex, just let me know.

best regards,
Andrew
Embedded Software Engineer at ProventusNova

I don’t think the usb iso installation allows for pre-creating oemconfig.
usb iso stick is essentially a modified for Thor ubuntu 24.04 iso image. Oemconfig here is graphical.

You could attach a monitor, boot your Thor. run through oemconfig.

then in terminal to turn off the gui.

sudo systemctl set-default multi-user.target

sudo reboot

I got your point but then the Quick Start Guide is incorrect… Because that’s how the headless flash is recommended…

If you want to stick to that ISO image, then I would say you could download fresh image again and reinstall the ISO image again and see if you could bypass the error.

Actually, sdkmanager is a true method to reflash everything on a Jetson platform.
When some buggy situation happens, sdkmanager can always guarantee you back to normal situaiton. However, ISO image might not.

I tried multiple times so it looks like your quick starting guide for headless is not working…

Will try with SDK Manager but I guess you need to update the guide (or better, fix the ISO)

May I get the steps you tried to install ISO with headless mode?

Sure !

  1. Downloaded https://developer.nvidia.com/downloads/embedded/L4T/r38_Release_v2.0/release/jetsoninstaller-0.2.0-r38.2-2025-08-22-01-33-29-arm64.iso
  2. Flash my USB key using Balena Etcher
  3. Put Bootable key in Thor and cable from Debug USB-C to my laptop USB (and serial access on it)
  4. Using serial : “Flash Ketson AGX Thor Developer Kit on NVMe”
  5. I wait 15 minutes
  6. Then it reboots and I plug my USB cable to USB-C next to HDMI (instead of Debug USB-C)
  7. Connect using serial again (screen cli)
  8. And that’s how I’m at the login screen (while it should be oem-config). In other words, everything works as expect until Quick Start Guide — Jetson AGX Thor Developer Kit - User Guide

We will try the steps here.

Just to let you know the procedure here.
If we cannot reproduce the error case, then I think the doc might not be wrong but more like a intermittent bug happened there.

Ok let me know !

did you Re-enable USB stick installation ? There are 2 settings to make in bios before second use of usb stick.

Yes I did !

Just thinking of when I flashed my Thor using the usb stick method I usb stick in Thor. I did not connect thor from Debug USB-C to my desktop. When flashing Thor was done, I removed the bootable usb stick when it wanted to reboot. Don’t know whether it matters but is is a difference.

After reboot I ran the Ubuntu oemconfig and setup userid/password/timezone/etc.

How do you run oemconfig in headless mode ? Is it automatic ? I expect it is, if not ; it is my issue…

Attach a monitor, boot your Thor. run through oemconfig.

then in terminal turn off the gui.


sudo systemctl set-default multi-user.target

sudo reboot
1 Like