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Backup your AIR-T

In this tutorial we show you how to create a copy of your AIR-T by backing up and restoring the memory partitions (eMMC). This method can be useful when software configurations, programs, and files must be replicated on other boards of the same model.

This procedure is only applicable to AIR7101 and AIR7201 products.

Prerequisites

To create and restore a backup image you will need:

  • Both the source and destination AIR-T units must be of the same model and have the same version of AirStack installed
  • Downloaded build of AirStack used for flashing to host laptop (must be the same version that's on the units)
  • Required free disk space on the flashing computer: at least 2x the size of the eMMC you're backing up.
  • Also review the prerequisites listed in the standard documentation for re-imaging the OS on an AIR-T: AirStack Imaging Procedure

Setup

  1. Connect micro-USB port on AIR-T to USB port on host laptop
  2. Place the AIR-T in recovery mode using the steps listed here: Recovery Method

Procedure on Host Laptop

  1. Use "flash.sh" low-level flashing script included with the AirStack build to generate a backup of the filesystem on the AIR-T. 
    cd <top level of AirStack release>
cd Linux_for_Tegra
sudo ./flash.sh -r -k APP -G backup.img jetson-tx2 mmcblk0p1

  2. Move the backup into the AirStack build, replacing the factory-default AirStack filesystem with your backup.

    mv backup.img bootloader/system.img

  3. Remove the uncompressed backup image to save on disk space, it's not necessary for re-flashing. 

    rm backup.img.raw

  4. Restore the backup by using the flashing utility as if you were re-imaging a board with AirStack. This is equivalent to the flashing step #7 in AirStack Imaging Procedure 
    cd <top level of AirStack release>
airt_flash/scripts/flash-systemimg.py -b ./Linux_for_Tegra --brd jetson-tx2
  5. After restoring a backup, you should be able to log in to the AIR-T normally.

Notes

  • If you do not have enough space on your host laptop it will likely not explicitly tell you this. It will fail quickly and your AIR-T will restart.