Advice request for switching from Windows to Linux?

Plex Media Server Desktops & Laptops
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Server Version#: 1.32.7.7621
Player Version#:
<If providing server logs please do NOT turn on verbose logging, only debug logging should be enabled>

Would some of the Linux+Plex SMEs mind chiming in, please? I would greatly appreciate your thoughts…

I’ve been running Plex on my Windows 10 desktop fine but would like to run it standalone as a server again. I don’t dislike Windows, but I do prefer having Plex reliably running 24x7 w/o having to worry about Windows update-reboots. This is the main reason why I’m considering using Linux (probably Ubuntu, but I’m not married to it). My emphasis is reliability and simplicity, not cleverness: plain vanilla, KISS.

I’m an AMD fan but for Plex, I understand having an Intel box with a 12th gen i7 CPU would do fine for transcoding a half dozen streams, hopefully even the occasional 4K stream. I can add an nVidia GPU, won’t if I don’t need to.

I’m buying all new hardware, probably Intel 12th gen i7, 16GB RAM, M.2 boot drive, media will be on 2 local HDDs with room for 1 or 2 more for future growth. I’ll be backing up media to external HDDs.

My new server will be dedicated to just Plex and my media, Docker is not necessary but I’m open to it.

My media resides on 2 18TB HDDs, don’t need NAS/etc. Again, open to it, but HDD backups are fine for me. I might build from scratch or blow extra bucks and buy a retail box. I’m open to NUCs.

It’s been years since I’ve run Linux boxes, but I’m advanced with hardware, networking, and servers, and I’m an adv. software engineer, too, so don’t mind writing my own utilities when need be.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated.
Best regards!

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  1. Ensure you have a firm grasp of Linux (in general) and Ubuntu (specifically) command line utilities before undertaking this task.
  2. Ensure you have a very good understanding of how to configure networking in your chosen Linux environment. I’m thinking of things like setting static IP addressing, configuring DNS, managing firewall settings, et al…
  3. Ensure you completely understand storage configuration in your chosen Linux environment. I’m thinking of things like Unix file permissions, ACLs, setting up mounts, et al…
  4. Link this page and refer to it when you run into issues configuring/using Plex in Linux.
  1. Don’t disregard your Windows Plex Media Server configuration until you’re sure you’re comfortable.
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I am not a Linux hater, I have a Ubuntu server myself, but if you are looking for KISS, a windows box+auto login will mean far far fewer issues and upkeep.

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Hey thanks, good solid advice, is the principle I live by. I’m cautious, but re-figuring out Linux would just be a speedbump for me, minor hindrance, really. I appreciate the cross-link btw. :slight_smile: Last I recall, Ubuntu was getting a new modern file system and I even tried it experimentally. I even played around with switching an Ubuntu VM to using Active Directory integration, would probably do the same again. Definitely not a fan of Samba.

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Aye, that was my alternative. I’m not a fan of auto-login, but if I have a Windows box with auto-login using a heavily restricted local svc acct, that would probably work.

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Unless you are part of a domain, a Windows PC with auto-login is just as secure as one with a password. (All it really does is provide physical layer security) If you are in my house I have bigger things to worry about.

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