Help with windows migration to linux

Plex Media Server
1

Server Version#:
Player Version#:

I’m a rookie to linux (ubuntu)
So I have a question
I’m trying to merge my old windows plex folder with the new plex folder.

I’m am confused about terminal and I don’t know if I’m writing the commands correctly.

Old plex folder is group permission josh
And new group permission is plex

How do I change old plex folder to group plex so I can merge both and save my previous server.

My old plex folder is in the downloads folder on ubuntu
/Downloads/Plex Media Server

Can someone please help a linux noob get back up and running.

Super thanks

2

I have a few questions.

  1. We don’t “merge” servers. We can move a server from machine to machine.
    – Is this what you’re trying to do?

  2. Am I correct you copied your Windows Plex server (the Plex Media Server directory) from the Windows side to your home directory on Linux ?

  3. Do you want to take this Windows server and use it on this Linux machine?
    – doing so means you’ll need to delete it AFTER we confirm everything is working correctly to avoid the two machines getting confused with each other.

I can help you with all the commands to do this. I only need to understand the goal.

3

Yes im changing machines or from windows to linux
I cant seem to change group permissions on my windows plex folder.

4

When Plex installs and configures itself, it creates everything in /var/lib/plexmediaserver.

Have you put any files there yet?

5

We have a How-To, complete with the commands, on moving PMS from other operating systems to Linux.

If you’d like to read it (it does have the commands you ask about), it will also show you the correct sequence to do things in.

Please don’t hesitate to ask questions. (that’s what I’m here for :wink: )

6

Yes please

7

I linked it here ^^ for you.

8

What if i already have the old plex server folder backup on Linux downloads folder. Do i need to zip it up or can i just use it like it is

9

I’m not understanding “Linux downloads folder”.

Do you mean you made a backup of the default /var/lib/plexmediaserver ?

If you did but you didn’t use it, then we don’t need it.

10

No i made a backup of my windows server and put it on my external hard drive. I have that folder i copied to home/Downloads of linux thats the folder that has all my info i want to use.

11

Excellent. Thanks. That’s what I thought.

Open a terminal window session

  1. Lets clear out the empty directory the installer created.
$  sudo bash
# systemctl stop plexmediaserver
# rm -rf "/var/lib/plexmediaserver/Application Support/Plex Media Server"

  1. Now COPY your ZIP file into "Application Support:

  2. With the ZIP file in “Application Support”

cd "/var/lib/plexmediaserver/Application Support"
unzip  NAME_OF_YOUR_ZIP_FILE.zip
  1. When that finishes,
    – your server files should be there
    – We’ll verify everything is there and then set permissions
ls -la Plex\ Media\ Server

(we should see all the files you put in there)

  1. If everything is good , now we can make the final permissions.
chown -R plex:plex  ./Plex\ Media\ Server
find . -type d -exec chmod 755 {} \;
find . -type f -exec chmod 644 {} \;
12

Its not zipped will that be a problem

13

Show me what you have?

If I can see what you have, including the mount points (directory paths), I’ll help you get the data moved.

14

How do i do that

15

What are you using? Ubuntu? are you using the graphical file manager ?

16

Yes unbuntu. Graphical manager?

17

can you make a screenshot or is everything command line only?

18

Its not just all command line lol…im not that adventurous. I think I might have gotten over my head with linux. Im just tired last two pc’s have fried with windows. So i thought lets try linux.

19

Did they get “fried” because of mechanical component failure or just get all whacked out?

20

Im over exaggerating lol the comman denominator i would say is windows lol…one was brand new lasted a yr just running plex with occasional web browsing…other one was a used pc to replace said brand new one. So I thought lets try linux with a new motherboard and hard drive and case :thinking:. But im about fed up with linux absolutely nothing works that ive read or kind people like you whonhave tried to help me. Now i know 90% of this fiasco is user knowledge and i dont have linux knowledge lol.