
Customize PCIe
OfficialFreeConfigure PCIe controllers on Jetson devices with precision.
Free · Opens the source repo
What Customize PCIe does
The Customize PCIe skill provides developers with the capability to enable or disable PCIe controllers on NVIDIA Jetson devices, specifically the Thor and Orin architectures. This skill operates by utilizing ODMDATA and kernel-DT overlays, allowing for fine-tuned control over PCIe settings such as lane allocation and link speed. It is designed for users who need to customize the PCIe configuration for their specific hardware setups, ensuring that each controller's runtime behavior aligns with their project requirements.
The skill is agentic in nature, meaning it dynamically discovers the necessary configurations at runtime rather than relying on static tables. This approach ensures that the skill can adapt to various hardware setups without the need for predefined configurations. Users can invoke the skill through simple commands related to PCIe configuration, making it accessible even for those who may not be deeply familiar with the underlying hardware.
To utilize this skill effectively, users must have a valid development environment set up, including specific profiles and prerequisite documents. The skill ensures that the configuration process is thorough, requiring verification of each controller's settings against the provided schematics and documentation. This attention to detail helps prevent issues such as link timeouts or incorrect lane widths during operation.
Overall, the Customize PCIe skill is an essential tool for developers working with Jetson devices who require precise control over their PCIe configurations. By following the outlined procedures, users can ensure their custom carrier setups function as intended, optimizing performance and reliability in their applications.
When to use it
Use this skill when you need to configure PCIe controllers after flashing a custom carrier or when a specific PCIe slot does not enumerate correctly.
When not to use it
This skill is not suitable for general-purpose PCIe configuration outside of the Jetson ecosystem or for situations requiring endpoint mode configuration without the appropriate overrides.
What you can build with it
Setting Up Custom Carrier
When deploying a custom carrier for a Jetson device, this skill helps configure the PCIe settings to match the hardware design.
Troubleshooting PCIe Enumeration Issues
If a PCIe slot fails to enumerate after flashing, this skill can assist in diagnosing and fixing the configuration.
Adapting to Hardware Changes
When changing the PCIe lane allocation or link speed due to a new hardware design, this skill facilitates the necessary adjustments.
How to install Customize PCIe
View source1. Install with the skills CLI
npx skills add nvidia/skills/jetson-customize-pcie --agent claude-code2. Or install it manually
Download the skill folder and drop it into ~/.claude/skills/ for all projects, or .claude/skills/ to scope it to one repo. Restart Claude Code so it picks up the new skill.
Anthropic's agentic coding CLI, and the reference implementation of Agent Skills. Drop a skill folder into ~/.claude/skills and Claude Code loads it automatically whenever a task matches the skill's description. Claude Code docs
Inside SKILL.md
Written by nvidiaCustomize PCIe (per-controller status / lanes / speed)
Overview
PCIe on Tegra264 (Thor, pcie@C0..C5) and Tegra234 (Orin,
pcie@C0..C10) is split across multiple controllers that share the
UPHY lane pool with USB3 / MGBE / UFS. Each controller's runtime
behavior is determined by two surfaces, both required:
| Surface | Target | Authoritative for |
|---|---|---|
ODMDATA pcie@N_status=… (+ pcie@N_max-link-speed, pcie@N_pcie-mode, pcie@N_clk-scheme, pcie-cN-endpoint-enable) | /pcie/pcie@N in BPMP DTB | UPHY lane power, refclk gating, controller-side power rails |
Kernel-DT overlay on &pcieN | /bus@0/pcie@<addr> in kernel DTB | Kernel probe, lane width, link speed, RC/EP mode |
Skipping the kernel overlay on a disable lets the kernel probe a powered-down PHY (link timeouts in dmesg). Skipping the ODMDATA token on a disable leaves BPMP holding the PHY hot.
Agentic, not table-driven — no controller table, no
questions.json. Every controller, lane width, schematic-routed
receptacle, and authoritative DT node address is discovered at runtime
from the docs + DTB + carrier pinmap.
The output is a kernel-DT overlay commit only. Per-controller
fragment@N blocks are appended to the composite custom overlay
.dts per
../../references/bsp-customization-kernel-dtb.md
and committed to the bsp_sources/ hardware repo.
/jetson-build-source compiles the composite to .dtbo and owns its
Makefile + flash-conf registration.
This skill MUST NOT edit ODMDATA="...". All ODMDATA tokens
(pcie@N_status=…, pcie@N_max-link-speed, pcie@N_pcie-mode,
pcie@N_clk-scheme, pcie-cN-endpoint-enable, plus the
uphyX-config-N surface tokens and UPHY_CONFIG="" clear) are
emitted by /jetson-customize-uphy in a single atomic commit on the
carrier flash-conf fork. The allocation table this skill consumes
from the UPHY sidecar already tells the operator which controllers
are okay / disabled / per-lane sized; this skill only translates
that table into kernel-DT overlay fragments and verifies that the
overlay agrees with the ODMDATA already committed by customize-uphy
(consistency check in Step 8 — disagreement is reported, not silently
fixed).
When to invoke
- The user says "configure PCIe", "enable PCIe controller", "set PCIe
num-lanes", "change PCIe link speed", or asks to flip a
pcie@N_statustoken. - A specific PCIe slot or M.2 receptacle doesn't enumerate after flash, OR the link trains at the wrong width / speed.
jetson-customize-uphyran and re-allocated lanes across PCIe controllers (e.g. switched fromuphy0-config-7touphy0-config-6enabling PCIe C3); the per-controller side now needs to be brought up.jetson-customize-mgbereports the QSFP path is wired but the kernel doesn't probe its PCIe-side companion (rare; XFI configurations).
Prerequisites:
- Active profile with
reference_devkit:+custom_carrier:blocks. <source.root_path>/Linux_for_Tegra/.gitexists (/jetson-init-source)./jetson-derive-carrierhas run — carrier flash-conf fork is in the overlay tracker./jetson-customize-uphyhas run — its JSON sidecar at<workspace>/target-platform/<profile-stem>.jetson-customize-uphy.jsondrives the per-controllerenabledecision.- Source-of-truth docs registered or supplied at prompt: Adaptation Guide, Module Design Guide, SoC TRM.
- When
custom_carrier:is present, bothdocuments.custom_carrier_schematicANDdocuments.custom_carrier_pinmux_xlsare REQUIRED. Refuse the run if either is missing — routing on a custom carrier cannot be guessed. Reference-devkit-only profiles skip this check. dtcon PATH.
Procedure (summary)
Full step-by-step walkthrough lives in
references/procedure.md. High-level flow:
- Resolve active target + open source-of-truth documents (incl.
<carrier-pinmap>,<ref-dtb>,<uphy-state>). Refuse if<uphy-state>is missing. - Diff PCIe topology — devkit vs custom carrier — by decompiling
<ref-dtb>and grepping the schematic forPEX<N>_*net labels. AskUserQuestion(multiSelect) — which controllers to customize.- Per-controller verification: pinmap + schematic +
pin_verifier.pyforPE<N>_CLKREQ_L,PE<N>_RST_L, optionalPE<N>_WAKE_L. - Auto-derive per-controller plan (
enablefrom<uphy-state>,lanes/speedfrom Adaptation Guide,modehard-pinned to"rc") → mandatory confirm-or-customize gate. - Append per-controller
fragment@Nblocks (marker/* custom-bsp: pcie:pcie@<addr> */) to the composite custom overlay.dtsinbsp_sources/. Pre-flightdtc+fdtoverlay. Commit via the workflow's preview gate. Do not editODMDATA—/jetson-customize-uphyalready emittedpcie@N_status=…,pcie@N_max-link-speed,pcie@N_pcie-mode,pcie@N_clk-scheme, andpcie-cN-endpoint-enablein its single atomic ODMDATA commit. This skill only translates the per-controller plan into kernel-DT overlay fragments. - (Step folded into Step 6 — overlay-only emission.)
- Cross-check ODMDATA vs overlay consistency. On a contradictory
row, stop and ask the user how to recover the two commits.
Never run
git reset --hardautonomously. - Write run-state JSON sidecar at
<workspace>/target-platform/<profile-stem>.jetson-customize-pcie.json- summary, then drive the downstream next-step chain via sequential
AskUserQuestionprompts perreferences/procedure.mdStep 9. Never substitute a printed "Next step: …" line for the prompts.
- summary, then drive the downstream next-step chain via sequential
Limitations
- Mode hard-pinned to RC. Endpoint mode is only emitted when the
operator passes
mode_override="ep"in Step 5c. enableis derived, not asked. UPHY-allocated controllers are mandatorilyokay; non-allocated are mandatorilydisabled.- No upstream BSP edits. Output lands in
Linux_for_Tegra/+bsp_sources/only. - Pre-flight overlay merge is a sanity check, not the production
build.
/jetson-build-sourceis authoritative. - Flash-conf overlay registration is out of scope. Owned by
/jetson-build-sourceStep 5.0a.
Troubleshooting
<uphy-state>missing → run/jetson-customize-uphyfirst.- Slot doesn't enumerate after flash → check
dmesg | grep pcie; re-verify ODMDATApcie@<N>_status=okayand the overlay fragment agree (Step 8 table inreferences/procedure.md). - Link trains at wrong width → confirm UPHY config in
<uphy-state>allocates the expected lane count; the kernel fragment'snum-lanesmust match. compatiblemismatch → fix the composite root, not the fragment. UEFI plugin-manager silently skips on mismatch.- Contradictory ODMDATA-vs-overlay row → ask the user; do not
auto-
git reset --hard. See gotchas. - Common pitfalls — see
references/gotchas.md(RC pinning, node- address sourcing, stock-disabled controllers, intra-file handoff withjetson-customize-uphy).
References
references/procedure.md— full nine- step procedure (topology diff, plan derivation, overlay append, ODMDATA cross-check, sidecar).references/gotchas.md— failure modes- invariants (RC pinning, address sourcing, BPMP handoff).
../../scripts/pin_verifier.py— shared HSIO pin verifier (Step 4).../../references/platform_template.yaml—documents:block consumed by Step 1.../../context/bsp-customization-workflow.md— overlay edit protocol + commit message preview gate.../../references/bsp-customization-kernel-dtb.md— composite overlay filename / skeleton / append protocol.../jetson-customize-uphy/SKILL.md— sibling skill that owns UPHY lane allocation; its sidecar drives the per-controllerenabledecision.../jetson-customize-pinmux/SKILL.md— sibling skill invoked by Step 4 (with operator confirmation) to fix HSIO pin SFIO mismatches.../jetson-customize-mgbe/SKILL.md— sibling for MGBE controllers; shares the two-surface (ODMDATA- overlay) pattern.
../jetson-derive-carrier/SKILL.md— must run first; produces the carrier flash-conf fork edited in Step 6.../jetson-init-source/SKILL.md— produces the overlay tracker + bsp_sources repo this skill commits into.
Frequently asked questions about Customize PCIe
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