Install VMware Workstation Player 15.5 in Windows 10
In this blog post, I will show you how to install VMware Workstation Player 15.5.6 in Windows 10.
About VMware Workstation Player
VMware Workstation Player is the limited capability free (for non-commercial use) version of VMware Workstation Pro. That is, it is just as VMware Workstation Pro with lesser functionality and free for personal use. But what is available is enough for most of the home users.
VMware Workstation Player formally known as VMware Player is a Virtualization software used to run multiple virtual machines on the same hardware. Its available for both Windows and Linux based operating systems. It runs on 64 bit operating system, which means that if you have 32 bit operating system, you will not be able to use it.
Earlier, VMware Player was distinct from VMware Workstation. But now they have been merged. That is to say, VMware Player is now available as VMware Workstation Player which shares the same core as the VMware Workstation. The only difference is that, VMware Workstation provides all the features, where as VMware Workstation Player is a stripped down version of VMware Workstation pro and does not have all the features.
But the good part is that VMware Player is free for non commercial use and provides enough functionality for Home and non commercial users. It provides enough features to be able to run a virtual machine on a home computer.
VMware Workstation Player is not a commercially supported application. That is VMware does not provide support for it. But there are sufficient help available online. Once you start using it, you will see that the way you use it similar to VMware Workstation pro .
How much does VMware Workstation Player cost
VMware Workstation player is available free of cost. Earlier it was not free, but I see that VMware has made it available for free for non Commercial users. For commercial usage, VMware Workstation Pro is more suitable.
Where is the Download link for VMware Workstation Player
This is the download page for all the VMware products. You will have to scroll down to VMware Player option to see the download link. From here you download any VMware Products. This link will always remain valid even when newer versions of the products are released.
In this dialog box, please select the folder in which you want to install the application. I leave it as it is. Also check the box Enhanced Keyboard Drivers option. Click next.
Check the options for Check the product update at Startup and Join the VMware Customer Program. I normally leave it as it is. You can unchecked it if you so desire. Click next
VMware Player 15 Installation – User Experience Settings
Step 4 – Select where the shortcuts will be installed
Check the box where the shortcut to run the application will be created. I leave it as it is. Click on next.
VMware Player 15 Installation – Shortcuts
Step 5 – Ready to install
Now the installation wizard is ready to install. Click on install to begin the installation.
VMware Player 15 Installation – Ready to Install
Installation begins, wait for it to complete.
VMware Player 15 Installation – Installation in Progress
After sometime, you will see installation compete message. You are done.
VMware Player 15.5 Installation – Installation Complete
Click on Finish to Complete the installation.
You will be asked to restart your system. Click on Yes to restart. Click No, if you want to restart later. But you must restart before using the application, else some features will not work properly.
VMware Player 15 Installation – Reboot Required
Step 6 – License
Now Run the application. You should see a desktop icon. Douple click on that or use the start menu to navigate to VMware Player option.
Once you run the application for the first time, you will be asked for licence. Select the option Use VMware Workstation Player 15 for for free for non commercial use.
Click continue.
VMware Player 15 Installation – License
Click on Finish.
Now you will see VMware Workstation Player 15 ready to be used for free for non-commercial purpose.
In the next edition of our Before the Home Lab series we’ll look our first hypervisor, VMware ESXi, and how to install it in a homelab setting. Full Disclosure: My homelab is fully ESXi / vSphere, with no vCenter deployments.
What is ESXi?
ESXi or vSphere is VMware’s solution for virtualized systems. ESXi actually ships the free version with everything you may need to upgrade so upgrading is just popping in a new commercial or enterprise key. The latest version as of this posting is 6.7u1 or version 6.7 update 1 and licensing is done based on the major version so purchasing a key for version 6.0 or using VMUG would net you a valid key for ESXi that will work for all versions under 6.
A word on VMUG, otherwise known as VMUG Advantage with EVAL. This program allows you access to a list of useful products including:
VMware vSphere ESXi Enterprise Plus with Operations Management (6 CPU licenses)
VMware Fusion Pro 10
VMware Workstation Pro 14
If you have no idea what those are, a quick refresher is that vCenter is the management solution for multiple separate vSphere (ESXi) hypervisors, VMware Fusion and Workstation are virtualization solutions so you can run virtual machines on your local Mac and Windows system respectively. Workstation Pro has some neat features like uploading a VM to ESXi which makes creating a new machine locally and moving it to your server worth it. The $200/yr VMUG cost gets you a 1 year license to these products and others. I have not personally used Fusion, but people near me who use Mac products tell me it is an okay way to virtualize stuff.
How to Install ESXi
The first step to getting ESXi is to download it so head over to the download link and make a totally unnecessary account that you will surely forget by the next time you need to log back in.
Once you’ve logged in, you can finally download the free trial. Since we’re virtualizing, we’ll get the ISO with VMware tools and don’t forget to copy down your trial key.
In a physical deployment, you’d make a bootable disk out of this ISO on a flash drive and then install it on your hardware on an SD card or USB drive. Since this is a virtual deployment, we’re going to move this ISO file directly into the main datastore on my ESXi test bed. We’ll look over the web-ui after we install.
Let’s create the VM, remembering our original requirements.
For reference, we added 50GB of thin-provisioned hard drive and an ISO file for ESXi. Under CPU, we clicked ‘expose hardware assisted virtualization’ so ESXi can do it’s thing.
We can then start the VM and see the installer.
ESXi Starting Services.
ESXI reminds you to ensure your systems are in the compatibility guide.
Accept the magical agreement where you sell your soul.
Select a disk to install on.
Try not to forget this password.
Smash that F11 to start the installation.
And away we go.
Once you complete your install, ESXi will reboot and you should remove your installation media.
Fully booted.
Those of you still playing at home will notice this is not a management interface. The new web-ui shipping with version 6.5 and higher can be accessed using http://your-ip/ui. Just click Advanced and past the security warning on a secure virtualization environment.
Now you can login with your password.
As the final thing you should do before starting, you should head over to Manage > Licensing and add your trial key. The regular installation key expires after 60 days while the free trial keys are free forever (with limitations).
After putting the key in, you can click Assign license to verify and the second time to assign the key.
Homework: Try installing the vCenter virtual appliance and evaluating vCenter. Hint: You can add an OVA to your setup by going to Host > Create/Register VM > Deploy OVA
Up next, a walkthrough for installing Hyper-V in a home lab setting.
If you’re eligible for the Windows 10 upgrade but want to perform a clean install, you won’t get far without a product key. We explain what you need to do.
The Windows 10 upgrade process has caused problems for some people. Upgrading from one version of Windows to another is rarely a great idea. Files left behind by the previous operation system often cause problems, as can changes made to those files by other applications.
That’s why the usual advice for installing a new version of Windows is to perform a ‘clean’ install. Reformatting your hard drive before you install Windows gives a ‘factory fresh’ PC — you just need to reinstall your applications and copy back your documents to get you up and running again.
There’s a big problem when doing this with Windows 10, though. First, anyone upgrading from Windows 7 or 8 won’t have a Windows 10 install disc — the upgrade comes via a download. Second, the Windows 10 upgrade doesn’t provide a product key, so there’s no way to activate it after a clean install. Fortunately, there is a way around this.
Where’s my Windows 10 product key?
As long as you qualify for the free Windows 10 upgrade, it should activate automatically once you’ve installed the upgrade. A product key will then be generated for your PC and stored by Microsoft.
You won’t see this product key, but it’s tied to your PC hardware. So once your upgrade version of Windows 10 is installed and activated, you can wipe your PC and reinstall the operating system from scratch. Since the hardware hasn’t changed since the last activation, Windows 10 should then activate successfully again.
Before you start!
Back up any documents on the drive you’re going to be using for Windows 10 (usually the C: drive) before attempting this. Also make sure you have any necessary serial numbers for applications you need to reinstall afterwards.
It’s also worth downloading any drivers you may need for Windows 10 before you begin. This is very important for your PC’s network or wi-fi adapter, which may not work with Windows 10’s own driver after a clean install.
1. Upgrade to Windows 10
You can’t perform a clean installation of Windows 10 until you’ve performed an upgrade installation and activated the operating system. This done, confirm that Windows 10 has been activated by going to Start > Settings > Update & security > Activation.
Look in the right of the window and you should see Activation: Windows is activated. If you don’t see this, you must not proceed and you’ll need to wait until Windows 10 activates.
2. Confirm your version of Windows
You’ll also need to know which version of Windows 10 you’re using so that you can download the same version. You’ll see the edition of Window 10 you have in the window opened in Step 1 — Windows 10 Pro, in our example.
Next, search ‘System’ and choose the first option to see whether you’re using the 32-bit or 64-bit version of Windows.
3. Download the Windows 10 Media Creation Tool
The Windows 10 download is around 2.5GB and will need to be copied to a blank DVD or a USB flash drive for the installation, so make sure you have something suitable to hand for this.
This just downloads a small setup tool that will download the required Windows 10 setup files later.
4. Run the Windows 10 Media Creation Tool
When the download has finished, plug in your USB flash drive or insert a blank DVD in your PC’s DVD drive. Find the downloaded MediaCreationTool.exe file in your Downloads folder and double-click it to run it.
When the Windows 10 Setup window appears, select the Create installation media for another PC option and click the Next button.
5. Choose your Windows 10 version
On the next screen, choose the Language, Edition and Architecture (32-bit or 64-bit) to match your current version of Windows 10. Don’t select one of the N editions — these lack Windows Media Player. Click Next to continue.
6. Choose a storage device and start the download
Select the device you’re going to use for the Windows 10 installation — USB flash drive or an ISO file for burning to DVD. Click Next.
Select the USB flash drive, or a folder on your PC, to store the Windows 10 setup files. Click Next and the 4GB download will begin.
If you created a DVD ISO file, you’ll now need to burn the file to a DVD before you can use it to boot your PC. Else you can boot using the USB flash drive.
7. Begin the Windows 10 installation
After you boot your PC using the Windows 10 DVD or USB flash drive, choose the Install now option and then Skip the request for a product key to activate Windows. As long as you’ve already upgraded this PC to Windows 10, you won’t need a product key.
8. Perform a custom install
When prompted, choose the Custom: Install Windows only (advanced) option. This will erase everything on your existing Windows 10 drive (usually C:), so be sure you’ve backed up everything you want to keep before going any further.
9. Choose where to install
Select the hard drive partition you want to install Windows 10 on. This should already be labelled as Windows 7, 8 or 10, but it should also be the largest partition in the list. If you’re not sure which partition to use, seek help before going any further.
If you’re happy to continue, click the Format option and click OK on the warning dialog box that appears. When the drive format is complete, click Next.
10. Complete the set up
The Windows 10 installation will now start. When it’s almost complete, you’ll be asked for a product key again, so click the Do this later option at the bottom of the screen and finish the rest of the set up.
11. Confirm that Windows 10 has activated
Once Windows 10 is installed, repeat Step 1 to check that it has been activated — you may need to click the Activate button. You may also need to install the necessary drivers for your PC’s network or Wi-Fi adapter first, since activation requires internet access.
If activation won’t complete successfully, you’ll need to contact Microsoft, explain what’s happened and ask for an activation code. This is inconvenient, but should be straightforward as long as your previous Windows 10 installation was activated.
Stay safe online with our broadband extras: Protect your computer from viruses and keep your files and photos safe
Unity XT reported that both power supplies in the systems are not supported:
SP logs (Can be found in the Unity support data collection tar file under spX\EMC\backend\log_shared\EMCSystemLogFile.log — where spX is the primary SP):
B 09/05/19 18:55:14.119 Bus9 Enc0 PowA 1678006 [ERROR] System: Power Supply is Faulted (Unsupported ).
B 09/05/19 18:55:14.131 Bus9 Enc0 PowB 1678006 [ERROR] System: Power Supply is Faulted (Unsupported ).
A 09/05/19 19:06:18.834 Bus9 Enc0 PowA 1678006 [ERROR] System: Power Supply is Faulted (Unsupported ).
A 09/05/19 19:06:18.847 Bus9 Enc0 PowB 1678006 [ERROR] System: Power Supply is Faulted (Unsupported ).
Fbecli logs (Can be found in the Unity support data collection tar file under spX\cmd_outputs\fbecli_exe_ccollectall.txt — where spX contains the log for that SP):
SP B [Active SP] PEER SP: PRESENT
HW Cache Status: FAILED Reason: PS
DPE-SCORP 990 (Bus 99, Pos 0) -OK
EnclFaultLedStatus: ON
EnclFaultLedReason: PS Fault PS A B
FLT (0102) FLT (0102)
Bus 99 Enclosure 0 PS Slot 0 Info:
Associated SP : SP_A(0)
State : OK
SubState : NO FAULT
Logical Fault : YES PS uniqueId : 0xB004F00(ATLAS 1980W High GEN2 OTS PSU (Acbel))
PS Supported : NO Low Line Input : YES
Bus 99 Enclosure 0 PS Slot 1 Info:
Associated SP : SP_B(1)
State : OK
SubState : NO FAULT
Logical Fault : YES PS uniqueId : 0xB004F00(ATLAS 1980W High GEN2 OTS PSU (Acbel))
PS Supported : NO Low Line Input : YES
## speclcli getAll ##
__ SPA PS0 Status __
Input Voltage : 116 Volts
__ SPB PS0 Status __
Input Voltage : 117 Volts
Cause:
Currently Unity XT 480/680 supports 2 types of power supply models:
ATLAS: PN: 071-000-750-01
POSEIDON: PN: 071-000-760-03
If the Unity PS is ATLAS, a hi-line power supply, it does not support low line AC voltage such as from a wall power outlet (110V) and will cause the alert.
Resolution:
To fix the issue:
Change the AC input from 110V to 220V
or
Replace the PS model from ATLAS to POSEIDON
NOTE: Power Supplies may be replaced while the array is running. Replace one power supply at a time. Alerts will be generated during the swap. Alerts like “Power Supply Intermix” can be ignored/acknowledged.
If you are connecting the Poseidon Power supply to a wall outlet, order the correct cable to go from the power supply to a wall outlet using the DOC-394778 link below.
The Poseidon power supply is only used for Low Line power for the Unity 480(F) and Unity 680(F) where supply voltages to the storage array are in the 100-120V range. To connect the power supply to a wall outlet, select the C19 cable with the specific countries wall outlet connector. The connector on the other end of the cable is dependent on the specific country wall plug type.
More details on which cable part number to use in each country can be found here:
Country Specific Wall-Power Cords: https://inside.dell.com/docs/DOC-394778
NOTE: Please order these Country Specific Cords directly from MyQuotes and provide the EMC Model number.
EXAMPLE: The United States uses EMC Model number: C19-PWR-12 Part Number: 038-004-848
Description: C19 PWR CORD W/ NEMA 5-15P PLUG, 125V 15A
Notes:
The different cable types are available in the ordering path and are added by default when ordering a new system for Low Line power.
They are also available in the “Add-on Hardware” section in both the new and upgrade MyQuotes ordering paths.
According to Unity XT hardware guide, the power requirements are below. When using low line power input, ATLAS PS only supplies 1050W which doesn’t meet the 1450W power requirement to DPE but POSEIDON fully supplies the capacity.
Power specifications per Unity model
Model High line Low line
Unity 480/480F 1800 W 1450 W
Unity 680/680F 1800 W 1450 W
Unity 880/880F 1800 W 1800 W (Step-up transformer required)
ATLAS Specification: GEN2 CFF 1800W HL 1050W LL PSU AC
POSEIDON Specification: GEN2 CFF 1450W LL 2100W HL AC DC PSU AC
Scenario 1: When we try to remove host access for snapshots, error occurs:
“Host access cannot be modified for the following Consistency Group LUNs as they are snapshots. Go to the Consistency Group page to modify host access for the snapshots. And default snapshot’s host access cannot be removed in GUI either”
When checked, there was no Consistency Group listed.
Scenario 2:Customer was not able to remove the non-attached host access from the snapshots on the GUI for the existing CG,
Example of the CG snapshot access:
Cause:
After removing the host access from the snapshots, The hosts are seen as not-attached snapshot hosts under snapshot access.(Noticed in scenarios where the snapshots are attached to VEAM backup)
Resolution:
Run the below command to remove the host access from the snapshots.
For LUN:
uemcli -u admin -securePassword /stor/prov/luns/lun -id <LUN_id_value> set -snapHosts “”
For VMFS
uemcli -u admin -securePassword /stor/prov/vmware/vmfs -id <vmfs_id_value> set -snapHosts “”
For CG:
uemcli -u admin -securePassword /stor/prov/luns/group -id <value> set -snapHosts “”
Below are the commands to get the ID values. ( Select the ID value for which you are trying to remove the snapshot host access)
For LUN:
uemcli /stor/prov/luns/lun show -detail
For VMFS:
uemcli /stor/prov/vmware/vmfs show -detail
For CG:
uemcli /stor/prov/luns/group show -detail
Notes:
The above commands will remove all the hosts access from the snapshot access only.
Please make sure to verify the same, incorrect modification will impact access of other hosts attached to snapshots.
This wikiHow teaches you how to install Windows 10 on your PC. To do this, you’ll need to hold down a key while Windows is starting up, which will launch a menu that lets you start the computer from either a USB drive or a CD/DVD with the Windows 10 installer on it.
Part1
Booting to the Windows 10 Installer
1
Make sure your Windows 10 installation media is connected. In order for you to install Windows 10, your Windows 10 installation file must be loaded onto a disc or flash drive, and the disc or flash drive must be inserted into your computer.
Open the Start menu. Either click the Windows icon in the bottom-left corner of the screen, or press the ⊞ Win key.
3
Click the power icon. This is the circle with a line through its top that’s in the bottom-left corner of the Start window.
4
Click Restart. It’s in the pop-up menu above the power icon. Doing so will restart your computer.
5
Press and hold Del or F2 to enter setup. This key may also be a different key—most computers will display a message on startup that says “Press [key] to enter setup” or something similar, so look for this message when your computer restarts to confirm the key you should press to access the BIOS.
Consult your computer’s manual or online support page to confirm your computer’s BIOS key.
6
Navigate to the Boot tab. You’ll use the arrow keys to select it.
The Boot tab may instead say Boot Options, depending on your computer’s manufacturer.
7
Select a device from which to boot. You have a couple of options here:
For a USB flash drive, select the Removable Devices option.
For a disc installation, select the CD-ROM Drive option.
8
Press the + key until your boot option is first. Once either Removable Devices or CD-ROM Drive is at the top of the list, your computer will select your choice as its default boot option.
On some computers, you’ll instead press one of the function keys (e.g., F5) to navigate an option up to the top of the menu. The key will be listed on the right side of the screen.
9
Save your settings. You should see a key prompt (e.g., F10) at the bottom of the screen that correlates to “Save and Exit”; pressing it should save your settings and restart your computer.
You may have to press ↵ Enter to confirm the changes.
10
Wait for your computer to restart. Once your computer finishes restarting, you’ll see a window here with your geographical data. You’re now ready to begin setting up your Windows 10 installation.
Part2
Installing
1
Click Next when prompted. You can also change the options on this page (e.g., the setup language) before continuing if need be.
2
Click Install Now. It’s in the middle of the window.
3
Enter your Windows 10 key, then click Next. If you don’t have a Windows 10 key, instead click Skip in the bottom-right corner of the screen.
4
Click the “Accept” box and click Next. This will indicate that you accept the terms of use.
5
Click Upgrade. It’s at the top of the “Which type of installation do you want?” window. This option installs Windows 10 while preserving your files, apps, and settings.
You can click Custom instead to clean install Windows 10 on your computer. Doing so will prompt you to select a partition to format before continuing.
6
Wait for Windows 10 to install. This process may take anywhere from half an hour to several hours, depending on your computer’s previous operating system and processing speed.
If prompted to press a key in order to boot from a CD, do not press a key.
7
Follow the on-screen setup instructions. Once Windows 10 has been installed on your computer, you’ll be able to customize its settings (e.g., your region, your preferred language, location settings, etc.). Once you finish this process, you will be taken to your computer’s desktop.
You can also click Express Settings to set up Windows 10 with the recommended settings.
Hate being the one in the corner of the room while everyone else is enjoying themselves on the dance floor? Have an event coming up that will require you to step out to the beat? If a little crisis of confidence or some uncertainty about how to move is keeping you from joining the fun, don’t worry. If you take the time to master a few basic moves, you can learn to dance freestyle, do a romantic slow dance, or impress your fellow guests on the dance floor at the next family wedding.
wikiHow Video: How to Dance
1
Dancing Freestyle
1
Bob your head to the rhythm. Start by trying to understand the beat of the music. If it helps, try counting along, clicking or clapping your hands to the beat. Once you’ve figured out the rhythm, start moving to it by bobbing your head.
Once you get your head moving, it will make it easier for you to get the rest of your body going.
To find the beat, try listening to the drums or the bass. These instruments usually carry the rhythm of the song.
Tip: To get used to finding the rhythm of a song, practice by listening to songs with a clear and pronounced beat. For example, try clapping and moving along to the beat of a song like “Juke Joint” by Johnnie Taylor.
2
Shift your weight from one foot to another. When you have a good sense of the beat and rhythm, you can start incorporating some simple footwork. Start by shifting all of your weight to one foot. You can lift the other foot slightly off the ground to make sure all your weight is off of it. Shift back and forth in time to the music.
At every other count (preferably 1 to 3), shift your weight completely to the other foot. You can also shift your weight at every count, but starting out slowly will help you get comfortable before you begin dancing fast.
Keep your legs loose and bend your knees slightly. There should be just a little bit of “bounce” to your weight shifts, and a subtle bounce (in place) on the counts when you aren’t shifting your weight as well.
3
Move your feet to the beat. Once you’re comfortable shifting your weight to the rhythm, begin moving your feet. Right before you shift your weight to a foot, move it slightly, even just 1–2 inches (2.5–5.1 cm) from where it was before. When you move your foot, keep it fairly close to the ground.
Stay on the balls of your feet so you can move and bounce more easily.
If you’re dancing with someone else, be sure to move around in a way that accommodates your partner without stepping on them.
4
Add some hip action. When you put your weight on a foot, move your hips (and your body) slightly in the direction of that foot. If you shift your weight onto your right foot, for example, move your hips to the right. You can twist your body slightly to add a little more movement.
For example, when you move to the right, put your right shoulder forward a little and your left shoulder back. Do the opposite when you move to the left.
5
Incorporate some arm movements. If you’re uncomfortable, the tendency is to keep your arms close or to let them hang limp. Instead, move your arms around. Keep your hands open or in very loose fists. You can put your arms in the air or bend them at the elbows and hold them at your sides, like when you’re running. Whatever you do, don’t get stuck on just one move; keep switching it up! You can also try one of these moves:
Roll the dice. Make a loose fist and shake your arm and hand as though you are shaking a pair of dice for a roll. After a few shakes, “roll” the dice. Don’t overuse this move to the point that it becomes comical.
Mow the lawn. Bend forward and grasp the starter of an imaginary lawn mower with one hand, then pull your hand back as though you’re pulling on the starter. Once you get it going, you can take a few steps while you mow the lawn.
Swing an air lasso. Grab an imaginary lasso and swing it above your head as though you’re about to rope a cow. Shift your weight to the foot opposite your “lasso hand” and thrust your hips in that direction.
Pump your fist. Make a fist and then make a pumping motion overhead in a celebratory fashion.
6
Find your own style. Follow your natural impulses when you’re dancing freestyle. It’s easy to feel like you’re only good at one move, but the more you feel the rhythm, the more natural your movements will become. Listening to subtleties in music will also help to train your body to move. Most importantly, be creative! Creating your own dance moves is easy with confidence and an understanding of your body.
Experiment with different moves, positions, and speeds while you dance.
Don’t be afraid to make up your own moves. Free style is all about improvisation and individual expression.
2
Slow Dancing with a Partner
1
Get into position with your partner. Stand face-to-face with your partner and get into a basic partner position. If you are leading, put your right hand on your partner’s shoulder blade and interlock your left hand with their right hand, with your hands positioned in the shape of a pair of Cs. Your partner will put their left hand on your right shoulder.
You can keep your clasped hands held as high as eye level or as low as waist level, depending on your preference. Just keep them relaxed, with a comfortable bend at the elbow, and don’t raise your partner’s shoulder.
Leave about 3–6 inches (7.6–15.2 cm) of space between yourself and your partner.
Make sure you and your partner agree on who is leading before you begin!
Tip: Slow dances are typically performed by a man and a woman, with the man leading. However, there’s no need to stick to this traditional arrangement. Pair up with a partner of any gender you like, and decide with your partner who should lead based on confidence, height, or whatever other factors you choose.
2
Step to the left with your left foot. Once you’re ready to start dancing, move your left foot out to the side in a smooth, gliding motion. Your partner will mirror you with their right foot. This is the first part of the basic “step-touch” slow dance move.
If your partner is leading, let them initiate the first step, but try to move with them as smoothly as possible.
Try to time your steps with the beat of the music. You may find it helpful to count along with the music in your head.
3
Bring your right foot over to meet your left. After taking the first step with your left foot, slide your right foot over so that it touches your left. Your partner should mirror this movement.
Try not to bounce or dip as you bring your feet together. Aim for a smooth, gliding movement.
4
Repeat your foot movements in the opposite direction. Once you’ve brought your feet together, step to the right with your right foot. Then, bring your left foot over to meet your right. Continue this pattern throughout the rest of the dance.
Alternatively, you can do 2 steps to the left and then 2 steps to the right.
5
Use your hands to steer your partner if you want to move around. If you’d like to move around the dance floor, use your hands to gently push or pull your partner in the direction you’d like to go. After touching your feet together, push with one hand and pull with the other at the same time that you step out on the next beat.
For example, if you’re stepping left but want to pivot to the right, start by bringing your right foot to meet your left. Then, push your partner’s right hand with your left hand while gently pulling on their shoulder with your right hand, and step to the left at the same time.
3
Dancing at a Wedding
1
Learn the Chicken Dance for lighthearted numbers. The Chicken Dance is a staple of many wedding receptions. It’s easy to do because there are just 3 basic moves, and you change them in time with the music. This is also a very low-pressure dance—no one cares if you mess up. To do the chicken dance:
Raise your arms to shoulder level and line your thumbs up with your index fingers to create a shape that resembles a chicken’s beak. Move your thumbs up and down to simulate a chicken clucking.
Then, ball up your hands and tuck your fists under your arms as though you have wings. Flap your wings up and down in time to the music.
With your wings still in place, continue flapping but now stick out your backside, bend your knees and wiggle your bottom down toward the floor.
Repeat these moves over and over until the song ends.
2
Master the hora for Jewish weddings. The hora is danced at many traditional Jewish wedding receptions to the song “Hava Nagila” or other traditional Jewish songs. The hora simply involves dancing in what’s known as a “grapevine” pattern:
Step the left foot across to the right. Let the right foot follow. Step the left foot behind the right. Follow again with the right.
This dance is performed in a circle with dancers either holding hands or throwing their arms over one another’s shoulders.
The tempo of this dance is typically fast. Sometimes the music starts slowly, and the band speeds up the tempo as the song goes along.
Did you know? At Orthodox Jewish weddings, men and women dance the hora separately. At more liberal weddings, male and female guests mingle and do the dance together.
3
Use basic slow dance moves for the Dollar Dance. At some weddings, the guests line up and pay a dollar (or more) to dance with the wedding couple. You can use basic slow dance moves for this dance, but it’s really not about the moves; it’s about having a few moments with the bride or groom to express your happiness for the couple and compliment the wedding ceremony and reception.
In some cases, men dance with the bride, and women dance with the groom. Other times, both men and women dance with the bride.
Holding on and simply swaying in place is perfectly acceptable if it makes it easier to have a personal conversation.
4
Getting All the Right Moves
1
Take a dance class to learn some basic moves. There are dance classes for every style of dancing from hip-hop to ballet, break dancing to salsa. Search online for the classes in your area. Whatever style of dance you’re interested in, you could probably benefit from a ballroom dancing class as the steps of many other dance styles have their roots in some ballroom basics.
When you are being taught a routine, look at what the teacher is doing. Try to copy it exactly. If it doesn’t work, watch the teacher again and look for the little things they do that make it easier.
Go ahead and ask your instructor for tips. Experienced instructors have worked with hundreds of students and have ideas that can help you overcome whatever it is you’re finding to be difficult.
Even a few hours of class time can help you learn the basics and build your confidence.
2
Join a flash mob to boost your confidence. A flash mob is a spontaneous public performance—usually a dance—that appears seemingly out of nowhere and then disappears just as quickly. While these dance performances may seem spontaneous, the truth is that they’re usually fairly well rehearsed in advance. You can find flash mobs online, join them for a several-week rehearsal period as the group learns a dance, and then perform with the mob in public.
Some flash mobs put videos online with instructions for learning and rehearsing the planned dance.
Flash mobs welcome people of all skill levels; their focus is on having fun and creating a joyful scene, so the more people who participate, the better.
You’ll also learn some great dance moves and connect with other people who enjoy dancing.
3
Watch dancing on TV to find inspiration. Dancing is a wildly popular activity, and you can get plenty of exposure to it just by watching TV. Try tuning in to reality television dance competition shows. Focusing on the steps might be a bit challenging. Instead, pay attention to how loose the dancers are, how much confidence they display, and how much fun it looks like they’re having on the dance floor.
Popular current dance shows include Dancing with the Stars and So You Think You Can Dance.
4
Rent a classic dance movie to get new ideas. There are so many dance movies to choose from. See as many as you can or pick and choose those that speak to your particular interests. For example:
Check out Dirty Dancing or Shall We Dance to watch 2 dance novices develop confidence and grace and learn to perform with pizzazz.
Watch Footloose or Flashdance to see the power of dance as a form of defiance against uptight authority figures and personal circumstances.
Rent anything starring Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers to be inspired by the grace and elegance of these famous dance partners.
Watch Stormy Weather to see the Nicholas Brothers push the limits of tap dancing.
5
Participate in a dance competition to hone your skills. Ballroom dancing competitions, officially known as DanceSport events, are held all over the world. Check online for a competition near you. Joining a dance competition can help you set specific goals for yourself and encourage you to build your skills.
Check out websites such as the International Grand Ball, United States Dance Championships, and the Access Dance Network to name just a few.
Tip: If you’re not confident enough to join a competition yet, attending competitions as a spectator can help inspire you and give you an idea of what to expect.
5
Dressing to Dance
1
Put on comfortable dance shoes. Choose a well-fitting shoe with a flexible, thin sole for the dance floor. Stay away from platform shoes, since that thick sole and heel make it difficult to feel the floor. Be sure, too, that your feet feel secure in your shoes. Backless sandals are best left at home. Do not wear sneakers or other shoes with rubbery or sticky soles for ballroom style dancing, since these can make it hard to move your feet smoothly across the floor.
Different styles of dance call for different types of shoes, so do some research about what’s needed for your preferred style. For example, sneakers are great for hip hop or freestyle dancing, while heels are ideal for Latin dance styles.
2
Be prepared for the heat. If you tend to perspire, choose garments made of natural fibers. Tank tops and halter tops can look great, but sweaty or clammy skin could be a turn off if a partner asks you to dance. Drop a pack of moist towelettes and a travel-size powder in your pocket so you can freshen up when needed.
If you’ll be dancing with a partner, avoid wearing slippery materials, like silk. Your partner may have a hard time holding onto you if their hands get sweaty.
Tip: Consider bringing a spare top or a change of clothes in case you really work up a sweat.
3
Wear clothes that allow you to move. Tight satin might look and feel great when you’re not moving much, but it could inhibit your moves on the dance floor. Even worse, one wrong move could leave you with an embarrassing rip. Choose clothes that are either loose enough to let you move or stretchy enough to move with your body. Select a top with sleeves that don’t restrict your arm movement—you should be able to lift your arms above your head.
Try on your outfit at home to be sure you can dance with ease.
To avoid wardrobe malfunctions, make sure your clothing fits securely and won’t slip out of place if you really get moving!
How to Move Content From One WordPress Site to Another
Moving your WordPress site to another location can be a stressful and fiddly experience, not helped by the fact you can’t just simply move your files and database. No, that’s just not how WordPress works.
Fortunately, WordPress has a handy “Import” and “Export” tool built in. But unfortunately, it’ll only suit some basic requirements and you need to improvise a little to achieve other effects.
In this article, I’ll show you step-by-step how to migrate your WordPress installation’s content to a new place.
Let’s get cracking!
Before We Start: Back Up Your Website
Some WordPress installations or server setups may present you with unique challenges on migrating content. Although this article will deal with an additional unique eventuality (namely that you only want to transfer a part of your WordPress installation’s content), there’s no guarantee that the steps detailed here will unfailingly work for every setup.
It goes without saying that you’re solely responsible for your site, even when following this guide to the letter; there’s some database work involved depending on what you want to do, and if you accidentally delete a huge chunk of your site, that’s down to you. Basically, be careful with this!
For the purposes of this post, I’ve created two separate localhost installations of WordPress to provide you with pictures of each step. You might like to try moving your content to a test site to check it works.
To that end, I’d recommend making a backup of your entire site at this point. Of course, you do that regularly, don’t you? (If not, you definitely should be. Get to it.)
If you want to do this manually, remember to include both your database and site files (primarily because this includes your website’s Uploads folder).
Backing Up Files
You can create and download a ZIP of your site files via FTP. How to do this varies per FTP client but is generally fairly obvious. Make sure you download and securely store your backup compressed file – just as with any backup.
Backing Up Your Database
Login to your phpMyAdmin account and select the database in which WordPress is installed.
Select Export from the top menu. For most people, “Quick” options will be adequate. However, if you have tables other than the WordPress installation you want to back up in the same database, click Custom to select the tables you want to back up; all other options should remain untouched. Finally, click Go to download your database backup file (.sql format).
Your WordPress tables are prefixed “wp_” by default – since I have two installations in the same database, mine are actually prefixed wpmudev_export and wpmudev_import. Here, I’m backing up the wpmudev_export files.
Hopefully, those backups won’t be needed, but it’s always advisable before embarking upon such work. If the site to which you’re migrating content already has content, make sure you back up that one too.
With precautions out of the way, let’s get to work!
Changing Your WordPress Installation’s URL? Transferring a Whole Site
If you’re just looking to change your website to a new URL or otherwise want to transfer absolutely everything from one installation to another, the good news is that you’ve picked the easy option. WordPress’s own import and export tools will work perfectly for you so no need to do anything too complicated under the hood.
Here’s how to transfer all your WordPress content – pages, images and files, posts and everything else – to a new installation.
Incidentally, it is probably easiest to create a new installation on your new server (or even the new location within a server) and import/export than to change your files’ configurations. However, if you’d rather do it that way, the WordPress Codex can advise. Your installation should be up-to-date with the latest WordPress version so it won’t be a problem, but if it’s not, upgrade your old installation first. If you really can’t update for some reason – such as keeping a plugin that doesn’t work with new versions – your new installation can be an old version. This is far from recommended because many old versions of WordPress have critical security flaws.
1. Export From Your Old Installation
WordPress’s own Export Tool.
Go to your WordPress dashboard and select the Export item from the Tools section.
Because you’re exporting everything, it’s easy: keep the All content option selected and hit Download Export File.
An XML file will be created. Keep it in a safe place and go across to the installation to which you’re migrating.
2. Install the Importer
The WordPress importers screen.
On the new WordPress installation, go once again to Tools, but this time select Import.
You will be shown a list of importers, from which you should select the WordPress option.
Click Install Now and wait for the importer plugin to download and install.
If it all works, you can click Activate Plugin & Run Importer on the next screen.
At this point, you’re all ready to import and the XML file you generated earlier comes into play.
3. Upload Your Content
Upload the WordPress eXtended RSS (WXR) XML file you created earlier.
Click Choose File on the screen that follows and select the XML file you created on the old site.
Next, click Upload file and import.
4. Assign the Content
You can import or add new author accounts, or attribute content to existing authors. Ensure you import and download attachments.
You’ll be given an option to assign content to existing users on the new site (if you have an account on both, you can assign your old posts to your new account), or create new users either with their old usernames or with a new one you select. This ensures all the content is attributed to an author account that exists on the new site.
If you have any images or files to move to the new site, make absolutely sure that you tick Download and import file attachments– it’s not selected by default.
Hit the Submit button and you’re done! The page may take a little longer than usual to load because it’s creating all the new rows on the database, but it will get through it. Just wait patiently for it to be processed and all of your content should be imported onto the new site ready for its life there.
Partial Content Movement
So that’s the easy bit out of the way. However, if you’re looking to export only some of your content, I’m afraid to say that WordPress’s tools probably won’t cater for your needs on their own.
Selecting All content is the only way to export your attachments (files that appear under the Media section). Therefore, if you want to transfer specific parts of the content and your images, you’ll either need to move everything across then delete it (time consuming for larger sites) or poke around in your files and database – which I shall show you how to do now.
The exporting and changing SQL that I’m about to show you will be demonstrated for moving attachments, but you can also use a similar methodology to transfer the whole database across. This is useful if you want to transfer everything but your XML file is too large to upload through the importer.
1. Select the Content You Want to Export
Venture once more to the Tools > Export screen to begin with.
Here I have chosen to export only posts after mid-2010 from a certain author. You can also choose to export by status (eg. Published, Pending, Draft) or their Category. Other content types like pages (or Feedback, Portfolio, etc. if enabled) can be selected.
Once you’ve selected which content you’d like to export, click Download Export File as before. If there are multiple selections you’d like to make (eg. two authors’ posts in a date range, or someone’s posts and all pages), it’s entirely possible to go back and create multiple export files for each selection.
2. Import as Before
After you have all the WXR XML files you want, go to the new site and install the WordPress Importer as previously shown. You can upload your files (one at a time) as before and they’ll install the specific posts/pages/other content onto the site.
However, this is not the end, because you’ll notice that you still don’t have any attachments (eg. uploaded images) on your installation quite yet.
3. Duplicate Media Files
Go to your old installation’s FTP client and find the /wp-content/uploads/ folder. I’m using Windows 10’s File Explorer as my FTP client, but most should be able to compress files and download them.
Depending on your FTP client, compressing all folders within your uploads directory into a .zip file will be done through different methods.
Download the .ZIP file you generate and upload it to your new site’s FTP (or cut and paste it if you can access both sites through your FTP client).
I’m cutting and pasting my compressed uploads across, but you can download and upload if you need to change between FTP clients.
You can then extract all the files from the compressed folder into the Uploads directory.
Unfortunately, that’s not the end of it; while your files are in the right place, your WordPress installation won’t know about them because the attachment details haven’t yet been copied across from the database.
Your new WordPress database doesn’t know about the files you’ve uploaded to the new server yet.
4. Export Attachment Posts
Head over to your old site’s phpMyAdmin database and find the wp_posts table (replace wp_ with your prefix as necessary).
Again, I used wpmudev_exportposts, but replace the table name with the right prefix as applicable to your database.
At this point, you need to find the attachment posts (those are the media posts) so paste in the following SQL (changing the table name to have the right prefix if necessary) and hit Go.
SELECT
*
FROM
`wp_posts`
WHERE
`post_type` = "attachment"
The SQL query will return only attachment posts.
Scroll to the bottom of the query results and check Show all so all attachment posts are showing. Once all rows are displayed, choose Check All then click Export.
At this point, things get a bit more complicated, but stay with me and follow the steps carefully and you should be fine.
For the purposes of the picture, the options you’ll need to change have been moved up the page. You may need to scroll down to find them.
Choose Custom to show all possible settings.
Scroll down to the Format-specific Options section.
Choose data.
Leave everything else as it is and click Go.
5. Edit Your SQL
This step is necessary if your new installation has a different database prefix to the one from which you’ve just downloaded your SQL export file.
Edit the .sql file using a text editor such as Notepad++, finding and replacing the old prefix with the new prefix.
In my case, my original database was prefixed wpmudev_export and the one to which I will be moving the attachments is prefixed wpmudev_import!
If your prefixes are the same (eg. both tables are wp_posts), that’s fine and you can ignore this step.
6. Import Attachment Posts
As ever, find the table with the right prefix as applicable!
Go to your new database and find wp_posts (or equivalent); click Import.
Click Choose File – make sure you click, don’t drag it in, as this means it won’t be uploaded in the right place – and select the exported SQL file.
Leave all other options as they are and execute the query by hitting Go. You’ll see a success message once it’s finished and all your attachments will now be visible under Media – although there’s a further step before your images will start showing up properly.
As you can see, none of the images actually show as images…yet!
7. Export Post Meta
Again, the options you need to change are on this picture. You may need to scroll to find them.
Similar to the previous database work, this time find your old installation’s wp_postmeta table and select the Export tab.
Select Custom settings again and choose data rather than structure and data, just as before.
This time, also locate the Data Creation Options heading and select REPLACE as the function to use when dumping data.
Once again, click Go to create and download your SQL file.
8. Edit Your SQL
Again, you need to change the prefixes in your SQL file if the new database prefix will be different. You should also find all references to your old URL and replace them with the new one.
9. Import Post Meta
Go to your new wp_postmeta (or other applicable prefix) table and, exactly as before, import your edited SQL file into the new installation.
Your media library is now complete once more, ready to fit back into your transferred content (finally).
Finishing Up
If you’ve got through all that, well done – it’s a bit of a roundabout method just to transfer some images across with specific posts.
Of course, there are still catches with this: if you only want to migrate some of the images, you need to go through and pick out the folders (hopefully you want them by date or it would take forever) more carefully when uploading. You could also run into trouble with duplicate primary keys transferring wp_posts if you already had posts on the new installation.
Clearly, to make the Import/Export process more intuitive – rather than requiring such creative thinking with the databases behind the CMS – some work will need to be completed for a future WordPress release. While we wait, however, if you do need to move some of your content, this should work for you – it’s well worth the time!
If you’ve got any more ideas and methods for moving across parts of a WordPress installation with all the content in tow, we’d love you to share it with us in the comments. Likewise, let us know if you’re having any issues with these methods and we can try to give you a hand.
Having a power bank with you can be extremely convenient, especially when you are away from a power outlet. Power banks ensure that your devices won’t run out of charge. However, in order to charge your devices on the go, your power bank itself has to be charged. Power banks can easily be charged with a laptop or wall socket. Once your power bank is fully charged, you can unplug it and use it again.
Plugging in Your Power Bank
Check the LED lights to see when your power bank needs charging. While a power bank can be charged at any time, unnecessary charging may decrease its lifespan. Most power banks have 4 LED lights on the side. The lights will shut off as the battery diminishes. Wait to charge your power bank until only 1 or 2 lights are on.
Plug your power bank into a wall outlet if possible. Your power bank should have come with a USB cord and wall adapter. Plug the larger end of the USB cord into the wall adapter. Then, plug the smaller end into your power adapter. Leave the power bank to charge.
Plug your power bank into a computer or laptop as an alternative. A computer or laptop can also be used to charge a power bank. Connect the smaller end of the USB cord into the power bank. Then, connect the larger end of the USB cord into your computer or laptop’s USB drive.
It will take longer to charge a power bank on a computer than it would with a wall charger.
Letting the Power Bank Charge
Check your manufacturer’s instructions for an estimate of charging time. You should not leave your power bank charging longer than necessary. Your manufacturer’s instructions should let you know roughly how long it will take to charge. Most power banks charge within 1-2 hours.
Disconnect the charger as soon as it’s fully charged. Check the charger periodically as it’s plugged in. As soon as all the LED lights are on, unplug the charger. Your power bank’s lights may also blink on and off until it’s fully charged, at which point it the light will stay lit.
If your LED lights are not working, unplug the charger after the estimated charging time has passed.
Check to make sure the power bank charged properly. After charging your power bank, connect one of your electronic devices to the bank using a USB cord. If the power bank charged correctly, the device should begin charging.
If the device didn’t charge, try plugging it into a different outlet. If your power bank still won’t charge, it may be broken. Contact the manufacturer to see if it can be fixed.
Ensuring Efficiency
Use a wall socket in most cases. In general, wall sockets will charge a power bank faster than a computer or laptop. Stick to charging your power bank through the wall unless you only have a laptop or computer available.
Use only the cable that came with the power bank to charge it. The power bank should come with a charging cable with a USB port and a wall adapter. Avoid using a different charging cable that was not designed for the power bank.
Avoid overcharging your power bank. Make sure not to leave your power bank plugged in for too long. Charging the bank for hours on end can cause its battery life to decrease. Only charge your power bank as long as necessary for the LED lights to stop blinking.
Charge your electronic device and power bank simultaneously. While your power bank is charging, plug in any electronic devices you typically charge with your power bank into a wall socket. Charging devices eats up a power bank’s battery. If you charge your electronic devices at the same time, you won’t have to use the power bank as quickly after it charges. This will increase its battery life.
Now you will see VMware Workstation Player 15 ready to be used for free for non-commercial purpose.
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