https://support.plex.tv/hc/en-us/articles/201370363-Move-an-Install-to-Another-System
This makes seems that you need to backup the entire plex server folder, while I want to keep my tarballs as small as possible because I backup daily.
I have a script that automatically tar /var/lib/plexmediaserver/Library/Application Support/Plex Media Server/Metadata/ and /var/lib/plexmediaserver/Library/Application Support/Plex Media Server/Plug-ins and I copy the Preferences.xml too.
Ins’t that enough to move a installation ?
Also what is the use of this files com.plexapp.plugins.library.db-2017-09-12 that plex is creating automatically if I’m doing this?
Also if I install plex using the repository, should I install it after or before extracting my tars to their respective folders?
Also how many folders should I expect in my metadata folder? I only see 2 and I have 3 libraries…and I have seen people with 2 libraries and just one folder there
@Nott240 said:
Also what is the use of this files com.plexapp.plugins.library.db-2017-09-12 that plex is creating automatically if I’m doing this?
These are automatic backups of your main database.
You are well advised to keep them, since they may be one safety belt to fall back on, when your main DB file is corrupted.
Also if I install plex using the repository, should I install it after or before extracting my tars to their respective folders?
Before. Set ip up normally and create some small test libraries. So you can verify it is working.
Only afterwards clean out the Plex data folder and replace it with the contents of your backup.
Also how many folders should I expect in my metadata folder? I only see 2 and I have 3 libraries…and I have seen people with 2 libraries and just one folder there
Doesn’t matter really. Just save them all.
Is backing up just the metadata folder and preferences.xml enough to move a installation ? I want to keep my files small
If you are being selective, you might lose some things which either
- need to be created again with big effort (like deep analysis, chapter thumbs or video preview thumbs)
- need to get re-downloaded (a full metadata Refresh may be necessary on all your libraries, which also takes a lot of time and may not finish in a single attempt)
- manually uploaded posters may not survive as well
Oh ok, didn’t know about that… What folders I can exclude from then?
I don’t know of any folders you can safely exclude.
I’d recommend deleting video thumbnails from the server before backing up. It might take time for the new server to re-generate them - but it’s clearly pointless to backup 10-250GB of thumbnails.
@asjmcguireplex said:
I’d recommend deleting video thumbnails from the server before backing up. It might take time for the new server to re-generate them - but it’s clearly pointless to backup 10-250GB of thumbnails.
You might wanna reconsider this if you are using a NAS with a meagre cpu which would take several weeks to recreate the thumbs.
I backup daily. So I don’t want to spend terabytes/mo just to backup it.
Will see what I end up doing
@OttoKerner said:
@asjmcguireplex said:
I’d recommend deleting video thumbnails from the server before backing up. It might take time for the new server to re-generate them - but it’s clearly pointless to backup 10-250GB of thumbnails.
You might wanna reconsider this if you are using a NAS with a meagre cpu which would take several weeks to recreate the thumbs.
Oh absolutely - but like any self respecting Plex user that wants a good, fast, reliable experience - my Plex server runs on a suitably powerful machine.
It’s a valid point though - maybe the Plex team might want to think about this for the future - and when retroactively generating thumbnails for content - start with the most recent (by air date or release) and work back.
@asjmcguireplex said:
It’s a valid point though - maybe the Plex team might want to think about this for the future - and when retroactively generating thumbnails for content - start with the most recent (by air date or release) and work back.
It is already done this way. Most recent media get their thumbs first.
@OttoKerner said:
@asjmcguireplex said:
It’s a valid point though - maybe the Plex team might want to think about this for the future - and when retroactively generating thumbnails for content - start with the most recent (by air date or release) and work back.
It is already done this way. Most recent media get their thumbs first.
Do you mean most recent by actually added to the server though - or most recent by air date or movie release date?
I decided to backup everything in my plex folder ( around 10 GB without the cache ) except the logs folder, the pid file and the cache folder.
What happens if I have a backup of a older plex version, but upon restoring a backup I install a newer plex version?
Also I assume that backing up the plex folder while it’s running is a non-issue right? Don’t want to have to stop it before, even if it’s actively doing something I hope I wouldn’t get a corrupt backup right?
It might ‘just work’, but to be sure I’d perform a ‘repair installation’ of the newer Plex server release.
Can you be a more clearer please 
I’m slow
I have no experience on Unix-type servers.
Just try it out, it should work theoretically.
Keep in mind to restore access permissions as well, since Plex may run under its own user account, not the one you are using. It must have write permissions to everything in the Plex data folder.
Where is your Plex server running?
Ubuntu 16.04. I’m going to wipe my server and restore tonight.
