Error when transferring plex watch history from windows 10 to ubuntu 22.04

[Vulpes_Dormiens]

Server Version#: 1.32.0.6918

I have been running a Plex server on a Windows PC, and want to move over to an Ubuntu PC.

I’m trying to do this by just fresh installing Plex and moving over the watch history.

I followed the instructions from Plex to export the data here: https://support.plex.tv/articles/201154527-move-viewstate-ratings-from-one-install-to-another/

I have the settings.sql file, but am having trouble importing it to my new Plex instance in Ubuntu.

When I execute the command:

cat settings.sql | sqlite3 com.plexapp.plugins.library.db

I get this error:

Error: near line 1: in prepare, near "��P": syntax error (1)

I’m lost on where to look or what to try next, any suggestions are appreciated.

[ChuckPa]

1. With the Windows DB file somewhere on the Linux server host.

2. Use this to export from the Windows DB into the PMS DB (PMS stopped)

GitHub - ChuckPa/PlexDBRepair: Database repair utility for Plex Media Server...

[Vulpes_Dormiens]

@ChuckPa , thank you for the information.

I have extracted the DBRepair.sh file to the folder with my settings.sql file and the Plex db files.

When I try to execute it, I get Error: Unknown host...

As I said, I’m running Ubuntu 22.04. That should be compatible, correct? Is there something I need to change in order for it to be recognized?

[ChuckPa]

@Vulpes_Dormiens

When I try to execute it, I get Error: Unknown host...

As I said, I’m running Ubuntu 22.04. That should be compatible, correct? Is there something I need to change in order for it to be recognized?

Run as ‘root’ ( sudo ) ?

Did you install from the Plex.tv/downloads file or did you install from the Ubuntu App Store ?

(I don’t currently support Ubuntu App Store – Snap packages but might consider it)

[Vulpes_Dormiens]

Ah, that must be it, I did install from the App store.

So there would probably be no way around it besides uninstalling and installing from Plex.tv?

[ChuckPa]

If you uninstall then you have all that metadata you would need to either trash or move over to where the native package install it.

I can give you the instructions if you’re comfortable with Linux command line (you should be as Linux user)

[Vulpes_Dormiens]

Definitely, I’d appreciate the Linux instructions.

I’m pretty new to Linux, but I think I can figure it out.

[ChuckPa]

– download from plex.tv/downloads
– sudo dpkg -i path/to/the/plexmediaserver-x.x.x.x.deb (downloads directory)
– systemctl stop plexmediaserver

Now you can

1. sudo bash
2. cd /var/lib/plexmediaserver
3. mv Library Library.unused
4. snap stop plexmediaserver
5. cd /var/snap/plexmediaserver/common
6. tar cf - ./Library | (cd /var/lib/plexmediaserver ; tar xf - )
7. cd /var/lib/plexmediaserver
8. chown -R plex:plex ./Library

From this point forward, instead of typing
snap to start/stop plexmediaserver, you’ll use systemctl

make sense?

After you have that all done, AND running the native package (systemctl),
you can sudo snap remove --purge plexmediaserver