Features needing work:

1. test without the workaround
2. investigate the network two minute delay getting IP address

Starting with the variables.yml template below, modify to your needs

• bridge_interface_name: the name of the network interface you will bridge the VMs to
  • Linux: use the ip a command to list interfaces; might be eth0, ens32, or similar
  • Windows: use the ipconfig /all command to list interfaces; use the description line, could be similar to “Intel(R) Wi-Fi 6E AX211 160MHz” instead of “Wireless LAN adapter Wi-Fi”
• username: the user you want to use to manage the VMs
• ssh_key: the key from the previous step

variables.yml

---
Global:
  bridge_interface_name: "ens32"
  username: ansible
  ssh_key: "ssh-rsa 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 ansible@labbox"
  system_name_prefix: vb-ansible-
  workingdir: "{{ lookup('env','HOME') }}/ubuntu-autoinstall"
  vboxmanage_path: /usr/bin/vboxmanage
  ubuntu_iso: https://cdimage.ubuntu.com/ubuntu-server/jammy/daily-live/current/jammy-live-server-amd64.iso
  ubuntu_iso_filename: jammy-live-server-amd64.iso
  new_iso_filename: ubuntu-22.04-autoinstall.iso
  default_disk_size: 40960
Installer:
  new_iso_path: "{{ lookup('env','HOME') }}/{{ Global.new_iso_filename }}"

The following playbook creates the custom ISO.

create_custom_iso.yml

---
- hosts: localhost  # Run actions on the local machine
  name: create_custom_iso.yml
  connection: local
  gather_facts: false
  vars_files:
    - variables.yml
  tasks:
    - name: Package requirements
      apt:
        pkg:
          - p7zip-full
          - xorriso
        update_cache: true
      become: true
    - name: Create working directory
      file:
        path: "{{ Global.workingdir }}"
        state: directory
        mode: "755"
    - name: Download Ubuntu ISO
      get_url:
        url: "{{ Global.ubuntu_iso }}"
        dest: "{{ Global.workingdir }}/jammy-live-server-amd64.iso"
        force: false
    - name: Create source files directory
      file:
        path: "{{ Global.workingdir }}/source-files"
        state: directory
        mode: "755"
    - name: Extract Ubuntu ISO
      command: "7z -y x {{ Global.workingdir }}/{{ Global.ubuntu_iso_filename }} -o{{ Global.workingdir }}/source-files"
      changed_when: false
    - name: Add write permission to extracted files
      ansible.builtin.command: "chmod -R +w {{ Global.workingdir }}/source-files"    # Using chmod as Ansible (Python) can't handle the recursion depth on the Ubuntu ISO
      changed_when: false
    ## Start workaround issue with Ubuntu autoinstall
    ## Details of the issue and the workaround: https://askubuntu.com/questions/1394441/ubuntu-20-04-3-autoinstall-with-embedded-user-data-crashing-i-got-workaround
    - name: Extract the Packages.gz file on Ubuntu ISO
      ansible.builtin.command: "gunzip -f {{ Global.workingdir }}/source-files/dists/jammy/main/binary-amd64/Packages.gz --keep"
      changed_when: false
    ## End workaround issue with Ubuntu autoinstall
    - name: Ensure BOOT directory not there
      file: path="{{ Global.workingdir }}/BOOT" state=absent
    - name: Move [BOOT] out of ISO extraction directory
      ansible.builtin.command: "mv {{ Global.workingdir }}/source-files/'[BOOT]' {{ Global.workingdir }}/BOOT"
      changed_when: false
    - name: Edit grub.cfg to modify menu
      blockinfile:
        path: "{{ Global.workingdir }}/source-files/boot/grub/grub.cfg"
        create: true
        block: |
          menuentry "Autoinstall Ubuntu Server" {
             set gfxpayload=keep
             linux   /casper/vmlinuz quiet autoinstall ds=nocloud\;s=/cdrom/server/  ---
             initrd  /casper/initrd
          }
        insertbefore: 'menuentry "Try or Install Ubuntu Server" {'
        state: present
    - name: Edit grub.cfg to set timeout to 1 second
      replace:
        path: "{{ Global.workingdir }}/source-files/boot/grub/grub.cfg"
        regexp: '^(set timeout=30)$'
        replace: 'set timeout=5'
    - name: Create directory to store user-data and meta-data
      file:
        path: "{{ Global.workingdir }}/source-files/server"
        state: directory
        mode: "755"
    - name: Create empty meta-data file in directory
      file:
        path: "{{ Global.workingdir }}/source-files/server/meta-data"
        state: touch
        mode: "755"
    - name: Copy user-data file to directory using template
      template:
        src: ./user-data.j2
        dest: "{{ Global.workingdir }}/source-files/server/user-data"
        mode: "755"
    - name: Create custom ubuntu ISO
      command: "xorriso -as mkisofs -r \
               -V 'Ubuntu 22.04 LTS AUTO (EFIBIOS)' \
               -o ../{{ Global.new_iso_filename }} \
               --grub2-mbr ../BOOT/1-Boot-NoEmul.img \
               -partition_offset 16 \
               --mbr-force-bootable \
               -append_partition 2 28732ac11ff8d211ba4b00a0c93ec93b ../BOOT/2-Boot-NoEmul.img \
               -appended_part_as_gpt \
               -iso_mbr_part_type a2a0d0ebe5b9334487c068b6b72699c7 \
               -c '/boot.catalog' \
               -b '/boot/grub/i386-pc/eltorito.img' \
               -no-emul-boot -boot-load-size 4 -boot-info-table --grub2-boot-info \
               -eltorito-alt-boot \
               -e '--interval:appended_partition_2:::' \
               -no-emul-boot \
               ."
      args:
        chdir: "{{ Global.workingdir }}/source-files/"
      changed_when: false
    - name: Copy custom ISO
      copy:
        src: "{{ Global.workingdir }}/{{Global.new_iso_filename}}"
        dest: "{{ Installer.new_iso_path }}"
    - name: Delete working directory
      file: path="{{ Global.workingdir }}" state=absent

Run the script as ansible-playbook create_custom_iso.yml –ask-become-pass. This will prompt you for the Sudo password when it's needed.

NEXT: deploy_ubuntu_unattended_uninstall_image_to_oracle_virtualbox_using_ansible

PREVIOUS: customize_user-data_for_ubuntu_unattended_install

Now that you have the ISO created, you can test it in Oracle Virtualbox, VMware Workstation, or on ESXi.

If the boot is crashing, test out different settings (e.g. 2 or more vCPUs). You can manually build your own ISO for testing. You can sudo apt install ansible-lint and run ansible-lint on your playbooks for help finding errors.