Failed to install guestOS ubuntu-19.04-live-server-amd64.iso(GA) in ESXi with new installer subiquity 19.04.5 when creating VM with NVME disk

[vmware-gos-Yuhua]

Summary:
---------------------
Failed to install guestOS ubuntu-19.04-live-server-amd64.iso(GA) in ESXi with new installer subiquity 19.04.5 when create VM with NVME disk.

We get continuous flash at early install stage.

Steps to reproduce:
1. Create VM with NVME disk and other default setting

2. open VMRC and mount iso ubuntu-19.04-server-amd64.iso(GA image)

3. Power on VM, The iso is recognized and it will start to install guestOS

4. We get a continuous flash at early install stage.

5. change iso to ubuntu-19.04-beta-live-server-amd64.iso(beta), and reset VM to start
   install with beta iso (recheck the beta image, because I didn't hit this issue in previous testing)

6. It start to install with beta iso and give message as follows
      Installer update available

      Version 19.04.5 of the installer is now available (19.04.4 is currently running)
      You can read the release notes for each version at:
         https://github.com/CanonicallLtd/subiquity/releases
      If you choose to update, the update will be downloaded and the installation will continue form here

7. If choose the default selection "Continue without updating", we can succeed to continue to
   install the guestOS

8. If choose the selection "Update to new installer", After update the installer and continue to
   install from here but get a continuous flash at this moment.

This issue is related to newly updated installer subiquity.

Expected result:
---------------------
For step 4, We can pass it.
For step 8: We can pass it.

relative test:
---------------------
1. this issue is not related with CPU type (intel/ AMD) / firmware type (bios/efi)
2. No this issue when create VM with SCSI disk with both old installer and updated installer online

VMware' dev will give more detail about it.

[Launchpad Janitor (janitor)]

Status changed to 'Confirmed' because the bug affects multiple users.

[vmware-gos-Yuhua (yhzou)]

capture the traceback of installer subiquity. Please check attached file traceback.png

[Joshua Powers (powersj)]

Traceback is from probert, so adding the probert task.

[vmware-gos-Yuhua (yhzou)]

No such issue in ubuntu 19.10 live server daily build Aug/28/2019

[Joshua Powers (powersj)]

If this is fixed in the development release (eoan), can you retest with the latest installer from disco? Please update the installer if prompted. You should have version 19.07.3 available to you now.

[vmware-gos-Yuhua (yhzou)]

> If this is fixed in the development release (eoan), can you retest with the latest installer from > disco? Please update the installer if prompted. You should have version 19.07.3 available to you > now.

Hi Joshua,
recheck with ubuntu-19.04-live-server-amd64.iso(GA), I get continuous flash when begin to install and it won't go to the stage "update installer".

with ubuntu-19.04-beta-live-server-amd64.iso(beta), it can go to the stage "update installer" and prompt me to update installer.

Thanks
Yuhua Zou

[Andreas Hasenack (ahasenack)]

So, on the GA iso, one cannot get to the step where the installer is updated. Do you get at least to the language selection prompt, i.e., does the installer at least stop somewhere asking you a question? You say:

"4. We get a continuous flash at early install stage."

I ask because if you are able to switch to another console, you can update the installer manually with a command like:

sudo snap refresh subiquity

But if you can't get that far with the GA iso, then I think just an iso respin would fix this.

[vmware-gos-Yuhua (yhzou)]

   > Do you get at least to the language selection prompt, i.e., does the installer at least stop somewhere asking you a question?

In fact, I do not get the language selection prompt. I hit this issue when the installer begins.

  > if you are able to switch to another console, you can update the installer manually with a command like: sudo snap refresh subiquity

The installer will go and eventually finish the installation when I switch to another console and update installer to subiquity 19.09.1 with command "sudo snap refresh subiquity"

Steps:
1) the installer begins and hit the issue
2) switch to another console with command "Alt + F2"
3) in the new console, update subiquity
4) switch back to the default console with command "Alt + F1" and see:
   the issue disappears, the installer stay in language selection
5) Follow the wizard to finish the installation

[Joshua Powers (powersj)]

The newer installer seems to have fixed this, which I believe means there is no further work to do here other than generate a new ISO. However, given 19.04 is a development release I do not expect there to be a new ISO.

I would expect you may want to create an advisory for this issue then for that specific release. Or tell users to move to 19.10 next week once it is released.

Marking invalid for probert and fix released for subiquity.

If you disagree or have additional details please feel free to update this bug.

[vmware-gos-Yuhua (yhzou)]

    > I would expect you may want to create an advisory for this issue then for that specific
    > release. > Or tell users to move to 19.10 next week once it is released.

OK. thanks.