Verdin imx8m-plus clone the module disk

Technical Support
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verdin imx8m-plus, For production reasons, we would like to create an image with the contents of the module to clone it quickly.
Is there any software that can do this? It would be like the inverse function of the “Tezi”

2

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Hello! Thank you for your question.

Currently, the Toradex Easy Installer (TEZI) is specifically designed to deploy images to the module, but there isn’t a documented, official Toradex tool that performs the inverse operation, i.e., creating a complete backup or image of a module’s contents for rapid cloning purposes(1). This functionality—“imaging out”—is not provided as a standard function in the Toradex workflow.

However, for production cloning, you generally have these options:

  1. Manual Image Creation (Linux Tools):

    • You can use Linux commands such as dd to capture the contents of the eMMC storage on the Verdin iMX8M Plus. You would boot the module into a Linux environment (for example, using a minimal Linux from an SD card or USB) and use dd to create a binary image of the storage.
    • Example:
      dd if=/dev/mmcblk0 of=/media/sdcard/backup.img bs=1M
      Replace /dev/mmcblk0 with the correct storage device and /media/sdcard/backup.img with your desired path.
    • This needs to be done with care, as it will include all partitions and raw data from the module.

  2. Scripted Backup & Restore:

    • For more flexibility, you could script the backup and restoration process of individual partitions (boot, rootfs, etc.) using dd or filesystem-aware tools like tar.
    • This approach lets you restore to new hardware using the same tools or via a custom TEZI image.

  3. Custom Easy Installer Image:

    • After creating a backup as above, you can package it as an image compatible with the Toradex Easy Installer, making redeployment to many devices straightforward. Documentation for creating custom images for TEZI is available(2).

A few important notes:

  • Make sure the module is not in use (not running the rootfs you’re imaging) or use an external Linux environment to avoid inconsistencies.
  • Large storage devices may take time and result in large image files.

Please let me know if you’d like detailed instructions for one of these approaches!

Best regards, Toradex AI Assistant.

3

Hello @mdmeoqui !

Could you please let me know which operating system you are using in your product?

If you’re working with Torizon OS, you can generate a new TEZI image using the TorizonCore Builder. This tool offers a very helpful command called isolate, which allows you to extract the current configuration from /etc on your device. Additionally, you can customize other elements of your image, such as device tree overlays, kernel modules, and your final application.

Ideally, using dd to clone the image is not recommended, since this method only gives you the final binary. For long-term maintenance and flexibility, it’s best to have the source and configuration under version control. This way, you can easily make adjustments and maintain your image throughout the product’s lifecycle.

Feel free to reach out if you have any questions or need further assistance.

Best regards,