Jetson Orin Nano USB ports not working

Robotics & Edge Computing Jetson Systems Jetson Orin Nano
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I have a brand new Jetson Orin Nano Super Developer Kit. All USB ports (four Type-A and the Type-C data port) are completely non-functional — including at the UEFI firmware level before any OS loads. I suspect this is a carrier board hardware defect.

  1. Product: Jetson Orin Nano Super Developer Kit 8gb
  2. UEFI Firmware version: 36.4.4
  3. JetPack: 6.2 (latest SD card image, flashed via Balena Etcher)
  4. Power supply: Official bundled DC adapter

Symptoms

USB does not function at ANY level:

  1. UEFI level (no SD card): Board powers on, UEFI information screen appears automatically. Keyboard has zero response — Esc, F2, F11, Enter, arrow keys all produce no reaction. The screen displays without requiring any key press.

  2. OS level (JetPack 6.2 SD card): System boots to Ubuntu OEM setup wizard (jellyfish wallpaper). Cursor is visible on screen but cannot be controlled. No keyboard or mouse input on any of the four USB-A ports.

  3. Recovery Mode: Host PC does not detect the board via USB-C at all.

Both Official Setup Methods Attempted

I have tried BOTH methods described in the official Getting Started Guide and the Jetson AI Lab Initial Setup Guide:

Method 1: MicroSD Card

  • Flashed latest JetPack 6.2 image onto microSD using Balena Etcher

  • Board boots to OEM setup screen successfully

  • But cannot complete setup — no USB keyboard/mouse input detected

Method 2: SDK Manager (via Ubuntu 22.04 on x86 host PC)

  • Installed Ubuntu 22.04 on an x86 desktop PC

  • Installed NVIDIA SDK Manager

  • Attempted to put Jetson into Force Recovery Mode by shorting pins 9 (GND) and 10 (FC REC) on the J14 button header with a Dupont jumper wire

  • Connected Jetson USB-C to host PC USB-A port

  • Applied DC power while pins were shorted

  • Ran lsusb on host — no NVIDIA device detected

  • SDK Manager does not detect the board

  • Also tested recovery mode without shorting pins — same result (no detection)

Full Troubleshooting Already Performed

To save time, here is everything I have already tried

  • ✅ Tested multiple wired USB keyboards and mice (all confirmed working on other machines)

  • ✅ Tried all four USB-A ports individually

  • ✅ Tried a powered USB hub

  • ✅ Plugged in all peripherals before applying power

  • ✅ Tested keyboard at UEFI firmware level (no SD card) — no response

  • ✅ Attempted Force Recovery Mode with correct pin shorting (pins 9 and 10 on J14)

  • ✅ Tested USB-C on two different host machines:

    • macOS (Apple Silicon): system_profiler SPUSBDataType — nothing

    • Ubuntu 22.04 (x86 desktop): lsusb — no NVIDIA device

  • ✅ Tried multiple USB-C data cables (confirmed data-capable, not charge-only)

  • ✅ Verified correct USB-C port used (data port beside green LED, not DC power port)

  • ✅ Reflashed SD card multiple times with fresh downloads

  • ✅ Used official bundled power supply only

What Works

  • Board powers on (green LED lit)

  • Fan operates

  • DisplayPort video output works

  • Boots from microSD to Ubuntu OEM setup screen

  • SD card reads correctly

What Does Not Work

  • No USB device detection on any USB-A port at any stage (UEFI or OS)

  • No USB-C data connection to any host PC

  • Board not detected in recovery mode by any host PC

  • Cannot complete initial OS setup

  • Cannot use SDK Manager to flash

Assessment

Since USB fails at the UEFI firmware level (completely independent of any OS, driver, or software), and the board is invisible to host PCs via USB-C even in recovery mode, this is a hardware-level defect — most likely the USB controller or hub chip on the carrier board.

NVIDIA customer service has directed me to this forum and indicated they can process a replacement once a hardware fault is confirmed here.

Could an NVIDIA engineer please confirm this is a hardware defect?

Thank you.

3

*** Please note that this reply is generated by LLM automatically ***

Based on the provided information, it appears that you are experiencing a hardware-level defect with your Jetson Orin Nano Super Developer Kit. The symptoms you’ve described, such as non-functional USB ports, inability to detect the board in recovery mode, and lack of keyboard and mouse input, suggest a problem with the USB controller or hub chip on the carrier board.

Here’s a comprehensive assessment of your situation:

  1. USB ports not functioning: You’ve tried multiple wired USB keyboards and mice, all of which are confirmed working on other machines. You’ve also tried all four USBA ports individually, a powered USB hub, and plugged in all peripherals before applying power. This suggests that the issue is not with the peripherals themselves, but rather with the USB ports on the Jetson Orin Nano.
  2. No USB device detection at UEFI firmware level: You’ve tested the keyboard at the UEFI firmware level, without an SD card, and received no response. This indicates that the issue is not with the OS or software, but rather with the hardware itself.
  3. No USBC data connection to host PC: You’ve tried multiple USBC data cables, confirmed data-capable and not charge-only, and used the correct USBC port (data port beside the green LED, not the DC power port). You’ve also tested the USBC on two different host machines (macOS Apple Silicon and Ubuntu 2204 x86 desktop), with no detection of the NVIDIA device.
  4. Board not detected in recovery mode: You’ve attempted Force Recovery Mode with correct pin shorting (pins 9 and 10 on J14), but the board is not detected by the host PC.

Given these symptoms, it’s likely that the issue is with the USB controller or hub chip on the carrier board. This is a hardware-level defect, and it’s not possible to resolve it through software updates or configuration changes.

Comparison with other Jetson models: The Jetson Orin Nano Super Developer Kit is a specific model, and it’s possible that this issue is unique to this particular model. However, based on the provided information, it’s not possible to determine whether this issue is specific to the Jetson Orin Nano or if it’s a more general issue with the Jetson platform.

Recommendation: Based on the assessment, it’s recommended that you contact NVIDIA customer service to request a replacement for the defective Jetson Orin Nano Super Developer Kit. They have directed you to this forum to confirm the hardware fault, and once confirmed, they can process a replacement.

Additional troubleshooting steps: If you’re willing to perform additional troubleshooting steps, you could try:

  • Verifying the USB controller or hub chip on the carrier board to see if it’s damaged or malfunctioning.
  • Checking the USB ports for any physical damage or debris.
  • Trying a different power supply to rule out any issues with the official bundled power supply.

However, given the symptoms and the assessment, it’s likely that the issue is with the USB controller or hub chip, and replacement is the most likely solution.

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