Might GRUB on the installation image be passing a parameter that's different from what the installed image passes? Or maybe there's a subtle timing issue that's triggering a race condition in the firmware? This is just wild speculation on my part, of course.
It can't be a simple matter of BootCurrent not existing when PXE-booted, since after adjusting BootOrder manually and rebooting, it is present:
ubuntu@ oil-jolteon: ~$ sudo efibootmgr -v 0001,0003, 0004,0005, 0006,0007, 0008 2f2ac784- ce90-471b- b036-e2776ee5bd d3,0x800, 0x100000) /File(\ EFI\ubuntu\ shimx64. efi) 6833-4ed6- 9ab2-57d2acddf6 f0)/FvFile( 1d76b9fa- 87f2-4ecf- ab6a-985c4a958d 6a)IbmS. .... 6833-4ed6- 9ab2-57d2acddf6 f0)/FvFile( 1d76b9fa- 87f2-4ecf- ab6a-985c4a958d 6a)IbmS. .... 6833-4ed6- 9ab2-57d2acddf6 f0)/FvFile( 3cc3fdbd- 9658-47c1- b672-6263c1c7e4 03) 6833-4ed6- 9ab2-57d2acddf6 f0)/FvFile( 3cc3fdbd- 9658-47c1- b672-6263c1c7e4 03)IbmS. ...h 6833-4ed6- 9ab2-57d2acddf6 f0)/FvFile( 3cc3fdbd- 9658-47c1- b672-6263c1c7e4 03)IbmS. .... 6833-4ed6- 9ab2-57d2acddf6 f0)/FvFile( 3cc3fdbd- 9658-47c1- b672-6263c1c7e4 03)IbmS. .... 6833-4ed6- 9ab2-57d2acddf6 f0)/FvFile( 1d76b9fa- 87f2-4ecf- ab6a-985c4a958d 6a)IbmS. .... 6833-4ed6- 9ab2-57d2acddf6 f0)/FvFile( 3cc3fdbd- 9658-47c1- b672-6263c1c7e4 03)IbmS. ....
BootCurrent: 0002
BootOrder: 0002,0000,
Boot0000* ubuntu HD(1,GPT,
Boot0001* Hard Disk 0 FvVol(cdbb7b35-
Boot0002* PXE Network FvVol(cdbb7b35-
Boot0003 Enter Setup FvVol(cdbb7b35-
Boot0004 Boot Devices FvVol(cdbb7b35-
Boot0005 Boot Manager FvVol(cdbb7b35-
Boot0006 Setup FvVol(cdbb7b35-
Boot0007 Diagnostics FvVol(cdbb7b35-
Boot0008 Firmware Log FvVol(cdbb7b35-
Might GRUB on the installation image be passing a parameter that's different from what the installed image passes? Or maybe there's a subtle timing issue that's triggering a race condition in the firmware? This is just wild speculation on my part, of course.