Cannot locate Plex shared folder or plexmediaserver user on synology nas

[leslienyc85]

Continuing the discussion from Plex for Synology - No 'Plex' Folder shown in DSM:

I don’t see the plex shared folder nor the plexmediaserver user that should have been created during the installation.

Also tried to connect via sftp - but only see the recycle bin.

Note that if I browse folders from plex I do see the hidden folders.

My question is: how can I access these plexmediaserver folders? I would like to port over my plex server library metadata from shield pro to nas.

Any guidance would be much appreciated.

[ChuckPa]

@leslienyc85

If you read the release information -

1. There is no “Plex” share as of DSM 7
2. At the moment, you cannot migrate via the GUI.
3. I have an updated packaging coming,
4. With that packaging, you still should NOT blindly try to update via the GUI. I will provide assistance. ( I have not yet worked out a viable How-To for everyone)

Here is the information about what has changed and why.

DSM 7 - Plex Media Server - Release Info & Migration instructions

Plex Media Server for Synology DSM 7 - Release This document is to share changes made with DSM 7 and resolve any unforeseen issues before you attempt migrating to DSM 7 for Plex use YOU ARE URGED TO READ THIS THREAD COMPLETELY BEFORE PROCEEDING OR ASKING QUESTIONS DO NOT INSTALL Synology BETA software UNLESS INSTRUCTED. This thread is a LIVING document. Expect it to change. Synology’s DiskStation Manager (DSM) has undergone significant changes in version 7.0. Many of those changes affected …

[leslienyc85]

Yes I thought it was likely related. I added more details about my situation below. I am trying to move my plex server from Nvidia Shield to a Synology NAS.

Here are the steps I took:

1. copied all media files to the NAS (from external hardrive)
2. manually installed PLEX on NAS
3. claimed the new PLEX server with my PLEX acccount

What I would then like to do is import my library structure, metadata and playlists. I did find a tutorial on youtube that walks you through the process, but it tells you to copy into a shared “plex” folder.

Issue: I do not have a “plex” shared folder and I cannot see a “plexmediaserver” user (even though I am using an admin login).

When browsing in PLEX from the “add library” view. I can see that the folder I am likely looking for is “/volume1/@apphome/PlexMediaServer/Plex Media Server”.

I have tried connecting in FTP via filezilla but it brings me to an empty folder with solely a “#recycle” folder. I have tried connecting via SMB but I only see the shared folders (not this @apphome one).

Question: If I couldn’t migrate my entire library, at the very least I would want my playlists. These took weeks to curate. Is that something that could easily be done?

Question: If I want to get my playlists back, should I wait for your new package? Or can I add the libraries today from the new NAS source … and get my playlists back later?

Question: Just out of curiosity, what is the best technical avenue to access hidden folders?

Thanks

[ChuckPa]

I will write out the entire process.

First, Please don’t listen to YouTube. I am the package developer
They have gotten MANY things about DSM 7 wrong; leaving us to clean up the mess.

Clean out anything from DSM 7

If you want to import a server from another machine, anything on the Synology must be erased.

1. Package Center
2. Uninstall + Erase option
3. All data from the PMS on DSM 7 is now gone and the system ready to import/migrate from another host.

Create a place for the package to import from

1. Create Plex shared folder
2. Create Plex: Library / Application Support / Plex Media Server (the familiar structure)
3. In “Plex Media Server” folder, you place all the normal contents —

bash-4.4# 
bash-4.4# pwd
/volume2/Plex/Library/Application Support/Plex Media Server
bash-4.4# ls
 Cache	 'Crash Reports'   Logs    Metadata  'Plug-in Support'	 Profiles
 Codecs   Diagnostics	   Media   Plug-ins   Preferences.xml
bash-4.4#

Now for the most important step.

1. If DSM 7 PlexMediaServer was previously installed, the Sysatem Internal User “PlexMediaServer” will already exist. We can use this to take a shortcut.

2. Open File Station

3. Right Click the “Plex” share → Properties → Permission → CREATE button

4. Select the “PlexMediaServer” internal user (you need scroll down to find it)

5. Make certain it has all Administrative, Read, and Write permissions

6. You also Apply to “This folder, sub-folders, and files”

7. Depending on the amount of metadata – this will take an proportional amount of time.
8. When done, you are ready to install PMS for DSM 7

I invite you to consider the updated package (which will be public release in a few days). It contains many improvements which I’ve been working on since the beginning but couldn’t complete until DSM 7 seemed stable.

Here is my Forum Preview.

DSM 7 - Finalized Configuration (PMS 1.24.2.4973) - Release information

DSM 7 - Finalized Configuration (Packaging 2.0) - Release Information See below for updates Since DSM 7.0-41890 finalized, I’ve had time to digest everyone’s input as well as review what we ultimately ended up with in DSM 7.0 Looking at all the issues faced, there was one overriding problem which could not be solved – Plex’s data was not accessible from the GUI or other Synology tools such as Hyper Backup. An important issue for most was the data area could not be moved. It took some t…

You will find the SPK file for your machine there.

If you choose to read further down, you’ll see the feedback so far.

If you use this package now, you will be already in the new layout.

As it runs and “Migrates” your data from “Plex” to the new structure, It will do so at about 500 items / minute. This can’t be helped. CPU speed is the limiting factor.

Before stalling I do suggest increasing the DSM Security Timeout to something longer than 5 minutes. (my office is secure so 65535 is completely safe for me).

Be patient with it.

“Migration.log” (in the “Plex” share) will contain progress as it does all its work.

Please don’t hesitate to ask questions

[leslienyc85]

Thanks a million! It’s impressive work.

Here are the steps I have taken so far:

1. uninstall PLEX (and remove all data)
2. Created /Plex/Library/Application Support/Plex Media Server
3. Edited permissions for plexmediaserver user
4. Copy-pasted content of shield plex folder into “Plex Media Server” folder

Next: install PLEX
Next: edit source of each library to new source (NAS vs. hard-drive)

A few follow-up questions:

1. My Plex server on shield was pointing to files on my external hardrive. I have my file on the NAS now. I likely will need to edit the source of each library. Would this be a problem?

2. I see several spk, assuming I should pick the one at the top?

3. Do I need everything in that “plex media server” folder? I really mainly want the playlists. Everything else I could afford to start from scratch.

Thanks a lot. I’m immensely grateful for the help! Will await your response prior to loading a new plex media server (either this spk or the one on the plex website)

[ChuckPa]

1. Synology did not change anything about existing shared folder locations. All existing exported shares remain intact.

2. Select the new version, which should still match current PMS release, and then install the correct binary SPK for your NAS

3. Your “PlayLists” are part of the data and database of Plex Media Server. “Playlist” is a construct which points to several already-indexed music or video items. If you want everything to migrate, you must include the Entire contents of the ‘Plex Media Server’ folder . It’s All or Nothing. PMS can’t be “sliced and diced”.

The goal here is to “take an existing server instance, in its totality” and “move that entire instance to a new machine”… transparently. After it’s done and running, you can do what you wish from that new running PMS GUI.

[leslienyc85]

@ChuckPa

• Select the new version, which should still match current PMS release, and then install the correct binary SPK for your NAS

I am not sure I understand that part. Are you saying there are two steps (1) install PLEX and 2) correct binary SPK?

Re: 1) I am aware of 2 ways to install plex, either from the synology package center or manually. I think you’re saying manually?

Re: 2) What is the correct binary SPK for my NAS? This is the model I have Synology 4 bay NAS DiskStation DS920+

[leslienyc85]

And use that package rather than the one in the thread you shared above?

[ChuckPa]

Which NAS model please ?

[leslienyc85]

@leslienyc85

Synology 4 bay NAS DiskStation DS920+

re: Shield to NAS
Library for the Shield was on one single external hard drive (8TB) vs library for the NAS is on the NAS. What will happen when I install a new Plex server with the plex folder populated with metadata & all?

re: PLEX version
Which one from the thread would you recommend?

My Synology Model: 4 bay NAS DiskStation DS920+

[ChuckPa]

(dinner here)

https://kb.synology.com/en-global/DSM/tutorial/What_kind_of_CPU_does_my_NAS_have

This is how you can find the CPU

DS920+ Intel Celeron J4125 Quad Core 4 Yes Geminilake DDR4 4GB

If you search “J4125” at https://ark.intel.com you find this is X86_64

You want the PMS version for Intel 64 bit “x64”

[leslienyc85]

It did not work.

1. did manual install
2. got a warning popup about access on top of install window
3. they both disappeared in a 1/10th of a second (no idea if the install completed properly) … past installed took longer, this felt like a glitch.
4. connected to plex but could see a legacy NAS plex server, deleted it, expected to have the same steps as before to follow (naming the server, claiming it etc) but didn’t
5. cleared browsing data
6. signed out of plex, tried to connect to it again - no option to claim new server
7. uninstalled new plex package (with signout and keeping data)
8. installed plex package again (steps 2 and 3 occurred again)

Not quite sure what to do now?
It does not look like the installation completed?
Is the content supposed to auto-populate? Is the path to source folders in the metadata that were migrated?

Screenshots:
https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1lLm-R7RPGzQUZ45nE3XEiqj5gWCJ5iKX?usp=sharing

[ChuckPa]

Please post the screenshot here. You may edit the post and remove later.

Your google link is closed access.

Not sure what you did at all. It takes about 15 seconds to complete a flawless installation on synology machine at the absolute best

Whatever that popup warning is/was – is probably key. I generate them in response to specific misconfiguration / needed action during installation as I validate all settings.

[leslienyc85]

Sure thing. Posted the screenshots below. Maybe it did complete properly then, it was just very odd to see the popups appear and disappear.

My issue is I was seeing the name of an old NAS Plex instance (that was removed), so I removed it … and ever since then, I don’t get an option to pick a new name for the new server.

Whenever I click on the PLEX path from the package center, it tries to connect to my existing PLEX account that has my shield PLEX server in it. I tried signing out but it keeps going there.

[leslienyc85]

I’ve managed to sign-out, seems you have to sign out from plex.tv first - not just from your plex account menu. Then I type the following url: http://192.168.86.15:32400/web/index.html#!/settings/

first scenario: not logged in, can name new NAS Plex server
Now I get an option to name the server:

second scenario: claiming NAS plex server with google account (but mix up between the 2 servers)
… but if I do claim server with my google account - it goes to my google account and seems to mix up the shield server and NAS server:

third scenario: after refesh, only seeing the new server (lost the shield one)
After refreshing multiple times – PLEX account is now only showing the new “PLEX on NAS” server. The Android Shield PLEX server disappeared from the web interface. Note that I have the shield plex app opened and it can still show the Shield Plex server.

Ideally I’d still be able to see both. Any tips on how to do that?

[ChuckPa]

• Image 2 - the “QuickConnect to” link is because you’re using the Synology FQDN name to get into the server and it’s not claimed. – More on that in a minute

• Image 2 – It’s also just a standard security warning by Plex/web that it doesn’t recognize this URL and is giving you the Anti-Phishing warning just in case. It’s your server so there is no mystery here.

• Image 3 - Migration.log - Everytthing went 100% normally. Total migration time about 3 minutes.

• Image 4 - Is the new (what will be official production structure moving forward) as soon as Engineering releases my builds. QA has already approved the code. We’re waiting for them to include it in their next build.

• Image 5 - This is the message sequence you see after migrating PMS into DSM 7.
  a. Summary message “migration from /volume1/Plex” (other configurations are possible. This confirms which source location was used)
  b. Shows you the log is available for review
  c. Reminds you to now check permissions so user PlexMediaServer has permission to read media. (MANY people still think the username is “Plex” because they don’t read the documentation. It is now “PlexMediaServer”)

Everything here looks ok.

As first time to access the server following relocation from the shield,
I strongly suggest you use the IP address of the Synology because there is something strange in the URL Synology is providing you. I don’t use “QuickConnect” and get a standard IP address as I should.

If the machine

[ChuckPa]

The Shield will disappear because this is a CLONE of it. The NAS has jumped in front of it.

How would you like to proceed ?

[leslienyc85]

I see - so they cannot coexist?

I can still see the content of my android shield server on the shield? It looks normal.

Only on the web interface, the shield server has disappeared.

[ChuckPa]

They can coexist but not with the same ID numbers. You copied the shield’s identity.

This is a simple adjustment if you want both to run simultaneously.

[leslienyc85]

Thanks a million for all your help and patience in this adventure.

I guess it’s okay, I can deprecate the shield server. Is there something specific to do? should I delete it somewhere?

I can still see it on Shield and on my phone though. Is that expected?

The new PLEX server on NAS is scanning the whole library, sourcing posters and detecting intros, were these not already in the metadata?

It’s been quite a ride, I had to log in and out 20+ times until I finally could name and setup the server. I could not access / name the server from the link in the package center (http://192-168-86-15.dolcevitanyc.direct.quickconnect.to:32400/web/index.html) but instead needed to go to (http://192.168.86.15:32400/web/) while being completed logged out from both the server and plex.tv. Was that expected?