lubuntu noble install to sony vaio (efi, encryption, no internet) fails

install on sony vaio (lubuntu noble)

offline install, encryption without swap, also selected auto-login (If I recall correctly)

install fails reported; message/popup showing

---
Command <i>apt install -y --no-upgrade -o Acquire::gpgv::Options::=--ignore-time-conflict grub-efi-$(if grep -q 64 /sys/firmware/efi/fw_platform_size; then echo amd64-signed; else echo ia32; fi)</i> finished with exit code 100.
Output:
WARNING: apt does not have a stable CLI interface. Use with caution in scripts.

Reading package lists...
Building dependency tree...
Reading state information...
E: Unable to locate package grub-efi-amd64-signed
---

this however seems familiar (reported earlier by Leok & sudodus issue; as I recall; though their messages mentioned source issue (cdrom related) so maybe unrelated

ProblemType: Bug
DistroRelease: Ubuntu 24.04
Package: calamares 3.3.0-alpha4-0ubuntu1
ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 6.5.0-9.9-generic 6.5.3
Uname: Linux 6.5.0-9-generic x86_64
.etc.calamares.modules.after_bootloader_context.conf:
 ---
 dontChroot: false
 timeout: 120
 firmwareType:
     "*": "-rm ${ROOT}/home/${USER}/Desktop/lubuntu-calamares.desktop"
.etc.calamares.modules.finished.conf:
 ---
 restartNowMode: user-checked
 restartNowCommand: "systemctl -i reboot"
.etc.calamares.modules.fstab.conf:
 crypttabOptions: luks,keyscript=/bin/cat
 efiMountOptions: umask=0077
.etc.calamares.modules.shellprocess_logs.conf:
 ---
 dontChroot: true
 timeout: 30
 script:
     - calamares-logs-helper ${ROOT}
.etc.calamares.modules.unpackfs.conf:
 ---
 unpack:
     - source: "/cdrom/casper/filesystem.squashfs"
         sourcefs: "squashfs"
         destination: ""
ApportVersion: 2.27.0-0ubuntu6
Architecture: amd64
CasperMD5CheckResult: pass
CasperVersion: 1.486
CurrentDesktop: LXQt
Date: Fri Nov 10 16:59:25 2023
LiveMediaBuild: Lubuntu 24.04 "Noble Numbat" - Daily amd64 (20231109)
RelatedPackageVersions:
 calamares-settings-ubuntu-common 1:23.10.4
 calamares-settings-lubuntu 1:23.10.4
 xfsprogs 6.3.0-1ubuntu1
 btrfs-progs 6.3.2-1
SourcePackage: calamares
UpgradeStatus: No upgrade log present (probably fresh install)