Backing up and restoring

Plex Media Server NAS & Devices
1

Server Version#: 1.16.5.1552
Player Version#: N/A

Hi,

I have Plex installed using the package centre on a Synology DS918+ and I needed to change the drives on the system and recover from backups as I have put a fair bit of time into the way Plex indexes my media.

I backed up my Media using Synology’s Hyper Backup and to backup Plex I grabbed the contents of the Plex folder and copied it through the windows SMB sharing to my Windows desktop. To clarify the folder I backed up has the contents of the screenshot attached.

My question is, can I simply re-install Plex using the package centre then do a quick simple setup without adding any media and then restore the files overwriting everything and restart Plex?

Or is there a different specific way I need to restore it?

Thanks.!

Plex|690x510

2

Because of how ownership of files works on Linux (much stricter than Windows),
when you copy them back, plex won’t be able to read them unless you manually change their ownership from your username to plex.

I recommend:

  1. Open the Plex share (with PMS stopped)
  2. Right-click Library then Compress to Library.zip
  3. Copy off that ZIP file
  4. When ready to restore, copy the zip back
    5 Delete the Library directory the package installer creates
  5. Unzip the ZIP file in place
  6. Right-click it → Properties
  7. Set owner to plex
  8. Apply to this folder, sub-folders and files.
  9. Hit OK. This will take a bit to complete.

Screenshot from 2019-12-06 13-45-59
Screenshot from 2019-12-06 13-45-59840×596 44.5 KB

The ZIP file now servers as a fully functional backup.

3

Hi Chuck,

The only problem with that is I’ve already done the backup and restored the Synology O/S. I’m just waiting for all the movies to restore which will take about a week then I will be ready to replace the files.

If it’s just a permissions issue is there any reason I cannot just copy the Library directory back from what I have backed up already and then set the permissions as you mentioned?

Also is it only the Library directory I need to restore or everything?

Thanks.

4

Sorry for missing that.

In that case,

  1. Stop Plex after installing the package
  2. Remove “Library” (which it created)
  3. Copy the “Library” tree back.
  4. Take the latter part (step 7 on) and perform the ownership step I show in the screenshot.
5

Thanks Chuck,

And just to confirm… the other files and folders are irrelevant… just the Library file is the important one?

6

The other files and directories should remain as I created them.
If you remove the tmp_transcoding , you will have transcoder faults
The others are my reminder/request to not place media in the Plex share once made visible. Doing so causes PMS to “watch” its own activities and leads to an infinite scanning loop.

7

Sorry I mean do I overwrite the other directories and files with the ones I backed up? Or shall I leave them alone and only replace the Library folder?

Basically do I replace EVERYTHING I backed up or just the Library folder?

Thanks again.

8

If you backed up everything , then that’s fine.

tmp_transcoding and Library are the two critical elements.

9

Thanks Chuck, I’ll replace the lot to be sure then :slight_smile:

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