cannot start vmware USB arbitration service error 2

Had this issue, needed to run the manual process of installing hcmon to fix it.

https://kb.vmware.com/s/article/2043656

• VMware USB Arbitration service fails to start in VMware Workstation
• While powering on a virtual machine, you see the error:
  
  Host USB device connections disabled: The connection to the VMware USB Arbitration Service was unsuccessful. Please check the status of this service in the Microsoft Management Console.
   
• Attempting to start the service manually from Windows Services fails with the error:
  
  Windows could not start the VMware USB Arbitration Service on Local Computer. Error 2: the system cannot find the file specified.

 Cause

This issue occurs if some of the files that are required to run the service are missing. The files may be missing if the product was installed or upgraded using an account that does not have sufficient privileges/permissions.

 Resolution

To resolve this issue:

1. Launch a command prompt on the host machine using an Administrator account. For more information, see the Microsoft TechNet article Start a command prompt as an administrator.
   
   Note: The preceding link was correct as of January 25, 2013. If you find the link is broken, provide feedback and a VMware employee will update the link.
    
2. Run this command:
   
   net start hcmon
    
3. Open the Windows service console and start the service manually.

If the service fails to start, try installing the hcmon service manually.

To install the hcmon service manually:

1. Launch a command prompt on the host machine using an Administrator account.
2. Run this command:
    
   • In a 32-bit host operating system:
     
     "C:\Program Files\VMware\VMware Workstation\vnetlib.exe" -- install hcmon
     
     In a 64-bit host operating system:
     
     "C:\Program Files (x86)\VMware\VMware Workstation\vnetlib64.exe" -- install hcmon
     
      
3. Open the Windows service console and start the service manually. The service should now start successfully.

If the issue persists even after trying the preceding steps, reinstall/repair VMware Workstation as a user with Administrative rights on the Windows host. For more information, see the Getting Started with VMware Workstation guide.

4 channel Amazon wifi relay Tasmota flash

I had to take chunks from various tutorials, and honestly don't know if I had bad connections and other bumps in the road that made this more convoluted than necessary, but none the less, here we go:

- Reference URLs of tutorials- read through all of them:

https://notenoughtech.com/home-automation/nodered-home-automation/hacking-esp8285-geekgerit-4-way-relay-controller/

https://community.home-assistant.io/t/hacking-the-psf-b04-esp8285-4-channel-relay-board-and-with-tasmota-and-unable-to-drive-all-4-relays-concurrently/155919

https://www.hagensieker.com/wordpress/2019/02/21/hacking-unknown-2-channel-relay-with-tasmota/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BUfWytrzrJ4&t=275s


- I tried the first URL without success, in hindsight I think the following would work

- Use the ground on the top left, not the GND mid left for grounding out GPIO14
- Press the top mid button to get into flash mode- press until mode where it repeatedly cycles the relays on/off in series.
- Then used ESPEasy_mega to flash the tasmota bin file
- After resetting power the board should become an access point to configure wifi, but you can also connect via FTDI adapter and Termite to input SSID1 and password1.

Use steps from hagensieker URL to go into WebUI and set to 4ch relay, and set relays to inching for garage door openers.

Follow various tutorials if integrating into Home Assistant (I have yet to do it)

Find commands to put only certain relays into inching mode, others into latching (For lights).

If cannot command multiple relays at once, do the chip mod found in the community.home-assistant.io URL.

- What I actually did.
- youtube URL, installed the ewelink app, connected to the board, updated the firmware to 3.3.x
- Did no use the windows flashing software from the youtube tutorial, I was still having a hard time putting the board into flashing mode and doubting my RX/TX soldering job.
- Starting using a different GND point for the GPIO10 lead, and then pressed the mode button until the relay would go into a mode where relays kept cycling on/off
- RX/TX FTDI adapter was now reading the board, it was in flash mode (remember tutorial mentions you must power the board with 5v microUSB, not just via FTDI adapter).
- Used ESPEasy_mega to flash over Tasmota bin
- reset power
- No need to use Termite to update SSID1 and Password1 info, tasmota went into wifi mode server 192.168.4.1, so used wifi to connect to "tasmota-5933" and used webUI to update wifi info.
- Tasmota flashed

- I appear to be having the problem the home assistant thread had, where I cannot power more than one relay at a time, looks like I will need to remove the 'unknown' chip and jumper the terminals in accordance to that thread's tutorial.

Still need to find commands to put certain relays into inching, others into latching (if possible), and integrate via MQTT into Home Assistant.

remount VMWare datastore after RAID rebuild

So I had to rebuild my RAID on my ESXi host.  Upon reboot the host successfully loaded up ESXi, but the VMs were invalid, the datastore gone.  Going to storage ESXi could see the presented disk and a VMFS partition.

Lots of VMWare forum articles and posts later with no resolution I found this site that saved my bacon.

https://masteringvmware.com/force-mount-vmfs-datastore-using-esxcli/

In case the site ever goes down, copied below: