i have a problem with mit plex install. I’ve upgraded from DSM6 to DSM7 and unfortunately installed the beta package out of the package center from synology (also with the repair option). This programm didn’t start, therefore i searched the internet and found this forum with the “right way” to install plex. So I deinstalled plex and downloaded the newest plex sever for DSM7 and run the installer and gave the internal user the access permition.
Currently the Plex media server is running, but when I try to connect to it, there is an timeout, that the adress could not be found. I reinstalled the plex server several times, and deleted the old Plex user and deleted all Folders belonging to Plex, but this did not change anything…
First of all thank you for all your amazing detailed support postings in relation to DSM7!!! (you poor guy!)
I’m here for the same reason as the OP (and also many other threads I’ve seen). Here is my experience in the hope it will help others. Just thinking it would be super helpful if the Beta is removed entirely from the Package Centre so that others are thus prompted to seek out the proper migration method from the start. (but I’m guessing there is a reason this has not been done) When do you expect to support Package Centre in full for future PMS installation and updates?
In my situation I was migrating my HDDs from a dead DSM 6 NAS to a new one (without a DSM 6 Plex app installed). The latest DSM 7.0.1-42218 was installed as part of this process. Also I note, I was not able to restore my previous DSM settings on the new NAS and thus reconfigured it from scratch. I then proceeded to install the Plex Beta from the Package Centre without a second thought…
Unfortunately my DSM 6 Plex folder was empty after this process but I have followed the relevant parts of you instructions above to properly remove the Beta and then install the latest PMS from the plex/downloads - PlexMediaServer-1.25.0.5246. At Step 4 it “installed quickly and I still didn’t have a server to access”
As my old Plex folder was empty I assumed the “DSM 6 → DSM 7 Migration Process” no longer applied to me and I deleted the old Plex shared folder (and the old Plex user was not present on the new NAS)
Subsequent to manually installing PlexMediaServer-1.25.0.5246, I note that internal user PlexMediaServer had R/W permissions for the PlexMediaServer shared folder so I then edited it to give it Admin permissions as well (“Full Control”). This did the trick and allowed me to then access the PMS setup wizard (by clicking in “open” in the Package Centre)
Now begins the task of reconfiguring my Plex library from scratch but no biggie, it’s good to review everything after so many years.
I submitted the packages to Synology. They had a final request for the DSM 6 package before final test & release to Package Center.
If all goes as expected:
1.24.5.5243 will be the new version in Package Center for both DSM 6 and 7
You should not touch or be in “PlexMediaServer” unless directed.
The only shared folder I support for import of Plex server data is the “Plex” shared folder.
When you create Plex/Library/Application Support/Plex Media Server,
and place all the appropriate PMS data there,
Then the normal DSM 7 installer will see it and begin its controlled import to DSM 7.
“Dropping” other configuration files in PlexMediaServer directly is fraught with problems and I can’t support it.
You can’t change the ownership of any of the files to PlexMediaServer from FileStation
Any metadata entries from legacy agents will not have been updated. We added this step because certain extras and videos would fail without editing.
DSM 7 removed ALL administrative privleges from apps. The package has the lowest privilege level possible in Linux plus , it’s in “sandbox” where it must ask DSM 7 for everything it needs (which includes hardware transcoding)
DSM 7 administers the PlexMediaServer shared folder. I don’t. Any permisions you might apply – GET REMOVED at next PMS start.
“packaging 2.0 disscussion and issues” isn’t needed anymore because development is complete and it is now production status.
The PMS shared folder I manually updated to full control for PMS user has indeed been reverted to R/W only by DSM7. So it must just have been a coincidence that doing this seemed to solve my initial issue with the server not starting. So not sure why it didn’t work for me initially.
I have and will leave the new PMS folder well alone apart from backing it up regularly.
If you want, you can you can have the installer do a proper import for you.
This same procedure allows importing to Synology from any other Plex server (windows, apple, desktop Linux, and other NAS platforms)
create the Plex shared folder
create folders “Library/Application Support”
Put whichever "Plex Media Server (with sub folders) under “Application Support”
Having verified you have everything again in the “Plex” shared folder and in Plex/Library/Application Support/Plex Media Server/<stuff> structure,
Uninstall the DSM 7 app -With the ERASE option
The Erase option makes certain the “PlexMediaServer” shared folder is properly empy and ready for the next installation (which will import the data properly)
Given PlexMediaServer (DSM 7) was installed once, you can use this procedure on the “Plex” shared folder to prepare the files for fastest possible import.
This step may take some time because it’s modifying every file.
When it’s complete, Install the DSM 7 app again normally. Adjust the “Plex” shared folder permission if it has any issues.
When all permissions are satisfied, it will sit at “Installing”.
If you open another DSM session tab, after a few minutes, you’ll see “Migration.log” in the Plex share.
This is how you can watch its progress
Ownership
Symbolic links (agent metadata)
Moving the data to “PlexMediaServer/AppData”
Cleanup after everything is moved.
When this is completed, you will know the “PlexMediaServer” shared folder contents are all set with proper permissions to run on DSM 7.
OK thanks ChuckPa, however my original DSM 6 Plex share folder was empty after running the original Package Station Beta and I didn’t have a backup!!!.
To be clear I’m not sure if it was this that emptied this folder or if something else happened as part of moving my HDDs from the old dead 4 bay NAS to the new 4 bay NAS.
Anyhow, it’s all good as I’ve now spent the time rebuilding and configuring all my Plex metadata and libraries from scratch. After so many years of not touching it it was great to go through and review all the latest updates and features etc and it also shows me which of my media files are not yet named properly to generate the correct agent metadata.
I have now set up a weekly PMS folder backup to the cloud so the next time my NAS dies I’ll have everything ready to go!
If all goes as expected: