[Bug 1851368] [NEW] 18.04.03 LTS Server Installer does not recognize disk while Desktop Installer does

[Pathway]

Public bug reported:

I was attempting to install Ubuntu Server 18.04.03 to an older machine.
I burned the ISO image to a DVD and attempted to install via a USB CD-
ROM. The only disk in the machine was a 120GB Seagate IDE disk. In Bios,
all settings were set to AHCI and the disk was clearly visible and
selectable in the boot-order selection. I had also previously run a
check using SeaTools to ensure the driver was OK (SMART OK, short and
long test PASSED).

The installer failed to identify any target media for installation. I found no way to overcome this. Things I tried:
- Changing the jumper from Master to CS and varying the position of the drive on the cable
- Wiping the disk of previous (Windows) partitions using gparted from a bootable utility CD
- Playing with various BIOS options (from AHCI to IDE etc)

What I noticed:
- If I used alt-F2 to drop into a shell when faced with the "could not find a media.." message, I ran fdisk -l and the drive was recognized and reported without issue.
- When I attempted to install Ubuntu Desktop 18.04.03, Ubiquity found the drive and installed on it with no problems whatsoever. I changed nothing between my attempt to install Server and my successful installation of Desktop
- After the Desktop installation, I again attempted to install Server. The installer was still unable to find the media.

** Affects: debian-installer (Ubuntu)
     Importance: Undecided
         Status: New


** Tags: ide installer server

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https://bugs.launchpad.net/bugs/1851368

Title:
  18.04.03 LTS Server Installer does not recognize disk while Desktop
  Installer does

Status in debian-installer package in Ubuntu:
  New

Bug description:
  I was attempting to install Ubuntu Server 18.04.03 to an older
  machine. I burned the ISO image to a DVD and attempted to install via
  a USB CD-ROM. The only disk in the machine was a 120GB Seagate IDE
  disk. In Bios, all settings were set to AHCI and the disk was clearly
  visible and selectable in the boot-order selection. I had also
  previously run a check using SeaTools to ensure the driver was OK
  (SMART OK, short and long test PASSED).

  The installer failed to identify any target media for installation. I found no way to overcome this. Things I tried:
  - Changing the jumper from Master to CS and varying the position of the drive on the cable
  - Wiping the disk of previous (Windows) partitions using gparted from a bootable utility CD
  - Playing with various BIOS options (from AHCI to IDE etc)

  What I noticed:
  - If I used alt-F2 to drop into a shell when faced with the "could not find a media.." message, I ran fdisk -l and the drive was recognized and reported without issue.
  - When I attempted to install Ubuntu Desktop 18.04.03, Ubiquity found the drive and installed on it with no problems whatsoever. I changed nothing between my attempt to install Server and my successful installation of Desktop
  - After the Desktop installation, I again attempted to install Server. The installer was still unable to find the media.

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