I’m planning on moving my Plex install off my QNAP soon (Don’t worry ole QNAPy still has some use!) to a windows install for more power. I looked at Plex’s “Guide” for transferring a server and at first test it didn’t move the metadata I was hoping to the new install of Plex. Any insight here from any users who may have experience in this? Maybe dane22?
Well…I could tell you how to move the other way 
- Make sure that empty trash during each scan is NOT enabled.
- Install plex on Windows, and shut down Plex on both devices.
- Copy the whole darn Library directory from QNAP to Windows, replacing the existing one.
- Power up Plex on Windows
- Go into each single library section, and add the new Windows path to it, so both old and new are present.
- Refresh each library section
- Check that all movies etc. are now doubled, and one is avail, the other missing.
- Go to each section again, and remove the old QNAP path.
- Refresh each section again, and now movies should no longer be doubled.
- Clean old bundles.
- Empty trash
- Optimize database.
- Go to your device list, and delete your server from there.
- Sign out of plex.tv, and wait 3 min.
- Sign back in.
Sharing with friends might have to be setup again, unsure here, so do report back on that part.
Ohhhh…And QNAP, even if it’s a low powered one, is great for remote windows storage, like for your movies etc 
/T
Oh it is! I love my TS-251 but I feel like I’m starting to need a little more umph. I have other plans for the QNAP as it runs a very important VM and it will pretty much be my backups and other “cloud” storage for me.
This is a great step by step thank you so much. I also plan on move all the media over to the windows machine as well. Once my WD reds come in I’ll report back to see if it works.
Red user here as well
Ohhh…and forgot here…
Check the FAQ Q18, making it easy to transfer, and actually, after Q18 has been done, you could use something like robocopy to already now start to transfer parts of the library, meaning almost no downtime when the initial big bang migration takes place.
And forgot something to my steps…
Might have to make a new port forwarding on your router, to point to the windows box instead
/T
Ok, I know its been a while since this thread was active but I have begun the process of transfering my Plex library over to the windows install. In step 5 of your guide it sounds like my existing library will be right where I left it. I’ve been using the QNAP Multimedia directory to house my all my Plex media. I’ve seen in another one of your guides that you suggest not to use that directory. Now my question is will I be ok because I used the Multimedia directory?
Yes…That has no impact on the move…
But STRONGLY suggest, that you exclude all files/directories starting with a single dot, when copying to the windows box
/T
I completed the transfer of the Plex library and moved it into the windows install folder of Plex. Most of the files are showing up as weird file types like “56 File”, “0 File”. I have a feeling this shouldn’t be the case. I booted Plex up on the Windows side and Added my original TV Show folder from the QNAP (NOT the new location). The transfer didn’t work.
Ok so I found the correct path for the metadata. the path is in username\appdata\local\windows\Plex. As I add the old librarys back it looks as though its adding the media as new data and not as if they’re duplicates.
OK srcatch that. I had to edit the existing Librarys and add another media folder to its list. Everything is going well! I’ll report back if anything else goes wrong.
I want to transfer from Windows to my Intel QNAP (TS-251) : can I just reverse source and target in the instructions above ?
thanks.
I’m assuming reversing the process will do the same thing. The trick I noticed was leaving the original library there until you transfer. After Plex sees dupes of files remove the old librarys.
@NeoAoshi said:
I’m assuming reversing the process will do the same thing. The trick I noticed was leaving the original library there until you transfer. After Plex sees dupes of files remove the old librarys.
Correct, and after that, empty trash, and optimize database
Yes, it worked very well.
THe only difficult was to create a link to the plex folder install on the NAS
I feel like I’m missing a step here. I’m going in the other direction, Windows to QNAP. For step 5, how am I getting the “old” library to show be on the qnap to begin with?
I did step one, installed PLEX on QNAP, signed in (without adding any local folders to the library yet,) then shut down PLEX on windows and QNAP. I copied a folder of videos to the QNAP, turned on PLEX on QNAP, and I’m afraid to add it to the library since I don’t see the old one present in the library.
Step 3 is the library folder in the plex installation folder, not the video files.
I don’t know if i’m being stupid but i’m stuck on step 3
What is the lirary directory? Where is it located on the NAS?
