My Plex server crashed so here is how I migrated the information over.
First Steps
- Install Debian on a new server
- Access to old hard drive or a Plex backup
Server Information
- Old Server
- User: plex
- Media Content
- /PLEX
- Database/Metadata
- /var/lib/plexmediaserver/Library/Application Support
- New Server
- User: PlexServer
- Media Content
- /media/root/8e0e4980-0e2a-4183-d10b2b9c4329/Data
- Database/Metadata
- /var/lib/plexmediaserver/Library/Application Support
Steps
- Connect the non booting hard drive to the new server and copy the media content
- I created symbolic link to “trick” the system in thinking the data is stored in /PLEX
ln -d -s /media/root/8e0e4980-0e2a-4183-d10b2b9c4329/Data PLEX
- Next stop the service
systemctl stop plexmediaserver
- Rename the old /var/lib/plexmediaserver/Library/Application Support/Plex Media Server to OLDPlex Media Server
- Copy the Plex Media Server folder to /var/lib/plexmediaserver/Library/Application Support
- Now since the user is different I need to change the permissions
chown -R PlexServer:PlexServer '/var/lib/plexmediaserver/Library/Application Support/Plex Media Server/'
setfacl -R -m u:PlexServer:rx /media/root
- We also need to edit the plexmediaserver.service file (kinda)
systemctl edit plexmediaserver
- Enter this information with the correct info
[Service]
User=PlexServer
Group=PlexServer
- Now start the server
systemctl start plexmediaserver
- If you get any errors check out /var/log/syslog
- Browse to the server IP to register your server to Plex
http://IPADDRESS:8888/web
Reference:
https://support.plex.tv/articles/201370363-move-an-install-to-another-system/
https://support.plex.tv/articles/202915258-where-is-the-plex-media-server-data-directory-located/
https://ss64.com/bash/ln.html
https://askubuntu.com/questions/676007/how-do-i-make-my-systemd-service-run-via-specific-user-and-start-on-boot