Backup Win7 Restore to Win10?

Plex Media Server Desktops & Laptops
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My Plex server version is the latest running on Win7. Yes, I know I’m living in the dark ages of Win7 but it works! I have another machine running Win10 that I’m considering as a Plex server replacement for my stone-age Win7.

Here’s my question to the Wizards of Plex - Can I backup my Plex database from the Win7 machine and restore it to the Win10 machine? I DO NOT want to spend mucho hours going thru everything and fixing all the metadata errors that would occur if I recreate it from scratch on the Win10. I would duplicate exactly all of the Win7 drive mappings onto the Win10 machine, but will the library locations be copied from the old Win7? Should I just try it and see what happens lol!?

I’m thinking the big question is whether or not the actual library locations (the network mapped drives) will be incorporated into the new Plex Win10 server with the data restore.

The more I think about it, the more I think it won’t work, but I await final judgement from any Plex Wizard willing to hazard a reply…

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Do you have room (and the budget) for an additional hard drive or SSD?
If you do

  1. disable automatic and periodic library updates in Plex.
    Disable automatic emptying of the trash bin in Plex.
  2. add the drive to your Win7 machine
  3. move the Plex data folder onto it [HowTo] An extended guide on how to move the Plex data folder on Windows
    Test Plex’ functionality extensively after this change!
  4. write down the drive letters and folder names of all media root folders
  5. export the Windoiws registry branch of Plex server into a .reg file https://support.plex.tv/articles/201539237-backing-up-plex-media-server-data/
  6. install Plex server on the Win 10 machine
  7. transfer the new drive with the plex data folder on it to the Win 10 machine
  8. give this drive the same drive letter it had in the old machine How to assign permanent letters to drives on Windows 10 | Windows Central
  9. add the media storage drive(s)
  10. assign the media storage drives (or network file shares) the same drive letters which they had on the old machine
  11. import the .reg file into the Windows 10 machine

You will have to take care of that, since assigning drive letters is handled by Windows, not by Plex.
(I am assuming that the media files are hosted on a different machine than the Plex server itself, right?)
This is easily done in Windows file explorer Map a network drive in Windows - Microsoft Support

The end game is to have all files and folder at exactly the same “location” in the new machine. Be it drive letters, network file share addresses, folder names, or file names. Nothing must change.

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Thanks, Otto! I get it, but I think I’d have a problem unless I can connect an external USB drive to the Win7 machine. The Win7 is a USFF so it only holds one 2.5" drive internal. I’ve got a Sabrent hot swap SATA device for plugging in internal SATA drives via the USB, and I have spare 3.5" internal SATA drives that will fit in the Win10 tower.

So, if I could use the Sabrent device (with 3.5" SATA drive) on the Win7, move the Plex data folder onto it, I could then install the 3.5" SATA internal drive from the Sabrent into the Win10 tower. If it would work, I imagine testing Plex functionality extensively would be a bear because of the degraded performance thru the Sabrent on USB. I’d also have to make sure the SATA drive is assigned the same drive letter once installed in the Win10.

In any case, (USB or not) the process could hose up my existing (Win7) media server, yes?. Ugh! What if I can’t get it back without a rebuild from scratch? Ahhhh!! Noooooo!! LOL!

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I think this is viable.

No. If you don’t erase the Plex data in its original place on C: you can easily switch back by erasing the additional registry value.

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If you can’t guarantee the drive letter for the plex data folder, it is easy to edit the registry.
(this doesn’t apply to the drive letters of the media drives, only to the plex data folder)

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Good. That helps, because I was concerned about the system assigning drive letters. Yes, I understand about the media drives. I would ensure they are exactly the same as on the Win7 machine…

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I gave you a link above how to change these.
It’s pretty easy, once you’ve done it.

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Got it. I just did a quick read, and it looks easy enough. Then I won’t have to edit the registry.

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Thanks again for your help! I’ll give it a shot this weekend.

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