Thanks for the info. That clarified things.
I think I’ve answered your questions. Let me know if anything is incomplete, confusing, etc.
Understood. DS720 is not touched.
Two options:
Option 1: A Clean Install on NewPC
This is a new install on NewPC. No information is copied from either OldPC or DS720.
Install Plex Media Server on NewPC. You do not need to copy any database, metadata, etc. info from either DS720 or from OldPC.
After installation, claim the server, and it will appear in your account just like DS720 and OldPC.
Then create libraries, playlists, etc. however you desire.
Option 2: NewPC with copy of libraries, playlists, etc from OldPC
Use this option if you have a lot of information you want to replicate on NewPC from OldPC - customized playlists, album art, etc.
This option copies the Plex Data Folder, %LOCALAPPDATA%\Plex Media Server, from OldPC to NewPC.
NewPC and OldPC will co-exist at the same time (along with DS720). You can then decommission OldPC when you are ready to do so.
Follow the Move an Install to Another System document with two exceptions:
- Do not copy any of the registry information. The playlists, etc are in the Plex Data Folder (
%LOCALAPPDATA%\Plex Media Server), not in the Windows registry. - When copying info from OldPC to NewPC, do not sign out of Plex Media Server on OldPC. You still need to stop Plex Media Server on OldPC before copying the information (so the Plex database files will be closed).
Note: The first step, Disable Emptying of Trash, is important. Do not skip it. You can re-enable it after you’ve copied the info to NewPC.
Plex Web Interface
There are two versions of Plex Web: (1) the local version bundled with Plex Media Server; and (2) the hosted version at app.plex.tv.
Use the local version to initially claim your server, http://server_ip_address:32400/web. If you are running the browser on the server, you can also use http://localhost:32400/23b or http://127.0.0.1:32400/web.
Once your server is claimed, you can use either to manage the server.
The bundled version is always a few releases behind the hosted version, but that will not matter for server administration (current bundled version: 4.76.1; current hosted version: 4.80.0; Differences: Plex Web Announcement Thread).
Now to answer questions:
Yes. Plex Web is the primary way to manage your Plex Media Server installations. It can also be used as a client to play your media, just like any other Plex client.
Use the local version when initially claiming your server. Afterwards you can use either the local or hosted version (as mentioned above).
The desktop app, Plex for Windows/Mac, can also be used to manage a Plex server after the server is claimed. Download, Documentation
It is in the Plex Data Folder. The default locations are:
- DSM 6:
/volume1/Plex/Library/Application Support/Plex Media Server/ - DSM 7:
/volume1/PlexMediaServer/AppData/Plex Media Server
Note: In Plex Media Server Settings → Scheduled Tasks, check the box for Backup database every three days. The system will keep three or four backups of the database. This provides a recovery point in case the database becomes corrupted for some reason (power fail, system crash, etc). Set this on all your Plex Media Servers if it is not enabled by default.
On my DS918+, I’ve a HyperBackup task that backs up /volume1/PlexMediaServer to a local USB drive once/week.
The information on DS720 is completely separate from the information on any other server. You do not need to copy any info from DS720 to OldPC or NewPC.
Regarding copying info from OldPC to NewPC, I addressed that with Option 1 and Option2 above.
Yes. NewPC will be claimed during the process covered in the Move an Install to Another System document.
