Installing Ubuntu Server 18.04.5-live-server-amd64.iso fails

[Wayne Johnson]

I was attempting to install ubuntu-18.04.5-live-server-amd64.iso on a VMWare Workstation 16 VM.
The installer crashes just after entering the set of additional packages to install. It didn't seem to matter if I had selected any. I tried installing many times...

I think the key here is that during the install a panel comes up saying that Version 21.01.2 of the installer is now available (20.07.1+git2.5de9df3e is currently running). It didn't matter if I selected the update or not.

Suspecting that the Ubuntu 20 installer is being downloaded from the internet, I changed the VM to disable the NIC during install. Ubuntu install succeeded this time, but I had to go back and activate the NIC in the VM, then manually install the network configuration for it in Ubuntu.

I added a question on askubuntu here: https://askubuntu.com/questions/1315376/installer-crashes-when-installing-ubuntu-18-04-5-on-vmware-workstation-16