# Can I move /usr/lib/plexmediaserver?

**URL:** <https://forums.plex.tv/t/can-i-move-usr-lib-plexmediaserver/644623>\
**Category:** Plex Media Server\
**Tags:** server-linux\
**Created:** [October 19, 2020, 6:26pm UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/can-i-move-usr-lib-plexmediaserver/644623 "2020-10-19T18:26:35Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 6\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![wsegatto](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/plex/user_avatar/forums.plex.tv/wsegatto/32/196912_2.png) [@wsegatto](https://forums.plex.tv/u/wsegatto)\
**Post date:** [October 19, 2020, 6:26pm UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/can-i-move-usr-lib-plexmediaserver/644623/1 "2020-10-19T18:26:35Z")

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I’m trying to decrease IOs in my SD card where I have my RPI 4 OS, so I have moved my Plex Library from /var/lib to my HDD and updated the service path to point there.  
Is there a similar process for /usr/lib/plexmediaserver? How much of the IOs happen there?  
What is the purpose of that folder? Holding the binaries?

Would a symbolic link be a good idea?

Best regards, Will

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**Author:** ![ChuckPa](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/plex/user_avatar/forums.plex.tv/chuckpa/32/79710_2.png) [@ChuckPa](https://forums.plex.tv/u/ChuckPa)\
**Post date:** [October 19, 2020, 8:13pm UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/can-i-move-usr-lib-plexmediaserver/644623/2 "2020-10-19T20:13:10Z")

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The collection of tips is here:

[https://forums.plex.tv/tag/server-linux-tips](https://forums.plex.tv/tag/server-linux-tips)

The one of interest to you is:

> [@Moving PMS 'Library'](https://forums.plex.tv/t/moving-pms-library/197342):
>
> Moving Plex’s metadata (Library) directory on systemd based systems This information is intended for those systems where cat /proc/1/comm returns systemd. If your system returns init, please see the next post in this thread. While you may change /lib/systemd/system/plexmediaserver.service, it is under the control of the package manager and subject to replacement without warning at any time during an update. To provide stability, systemd allows creation of an override.conf file to customiz…

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**Author:** ![TeknoJunky](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/plex/user_avatar/forums.plex.tv/teknojunky/32/165055_2.png) [@TeknoJunky](https://forums.plex.tv/u/TeknoJunky)\
**Post date:** [October 19, 2020, 8:27pm UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/can-i-move-usr-lib-plexmediaserver/644623/3 "2020-10-19T20:27:56Z")

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`/usr/lib/plexmediaserver` is the binaries location  
`/var/lib/plexmediaserver` is the plex _data_ (ie your libraries) location

the data location is the one that gets the most IO and uses the most space (dependent on the amount of content in your libraries).

for best performance, keep data on a large/dedicated ssd.

to avoid ssd write wear, you can (typically in most linux) set the transcode folder to `/dev/shm` (a tmpfs ram drive set to half your system ram) I’d recommend a minimum of 32gig, 64+ better, before using this.

as far as moving the binaries, I don’t think there is any ‘supported’ way, but I suppose it could be done simply enough with a symlink of `/usr/lib/plexmediaserver` to wherever your preferred destination is.

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**Author:** ![ChuckPa](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/plex/user_avatar/forums.plex.tv/chuckpa/32/79710_2.png) [@ChuckPa](https://forums.plex.tv/u/ChuckPa)\
**Post date:** [October 19, 2020, 9:57pm UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/can-i-move-usr-lib-plexmediaserver/644623/4 "2020-10-19T21:57:51Z")

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Thanks @TeknoJunky for mentioning.

You’re correct: There is no way to move `/usr/lib/plexmediaserver` (the application software) because it’s under control of the operating system. It is also read-only and only written when a new version is installed.

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**Author:** ![wsegatto](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/plex/user_avatar/forums.plex.tv/wsegatto/32/196912_2.png) [@wsegatto](https://forums.plex.tv/u/wsegatto)\
**Post date:** [October 20, 2020, 2:46am UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/can-i-move-usr-lib-plexmediaserver/644623/5 "2020-10-20T02:46:55Z")

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Thank you guys!

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**Author:** ![system](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/plex/original/3X/2/a/2acb9765406f63293d357b4ec509ec39aa28f2ad.png) [@system](https://forums.plex.tv/u/system)\
**Post date:** [January 18, 2021, 2:47am UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/can-i-move-usr-lib-plexmediaserver/644623/6 "2021-01-18T02:47:07Z")

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