# Help with windows migration to linux **URL:** \ **Category:** Plex Media Server\ **Tags:** server-linux\ **Created:** [July 23, 2022, 1:45am UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/help-with-windows-migration-to-linux/801729 "2022-07-23T01:45:17Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![jspurgeon09](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/plex/user_avatar/forums.plex.tv/jspurgeon09/32/322233_2.png) [@jspurgeon09](https://forums.plex.tv/u/jspurgeon09)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2022, 1:45am UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/help-with-windows-migration-to-linux/801729/1 "2022-07-23T01:45:17Z")
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 ---
**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:** [July 23, 2022, 1:59am UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/help-with-windows-migration-to-linux/801729/2 "2022-07-23T01:59:54Z")
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. ---
**Author:** ![jspurgeon09](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/plex/user_avatar/forums.plex.tv/jspurgeon09/32/322233_2.png) [@jspurgeon09](https://forums.plex.tv/u/jspurgeon09)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2022, 2:17am UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/help-with-windows-migration-to-linux/801729/3 "2022-07-23T02:17:14Z")
Yes im changing machines or from windows to linux I cant seem to change group permissions on my windows plex folder. ---
**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:** [July 23, 2022, 2:17am UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/help-with-windows-migration-to-linux/801729/4 "2022-07-23T02:17:56Z")
When Plex installs and configures itself, it creates everything in `/var/lib/plexmediaserver`. Have you put any files there yet? ---
**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:** [July 23, 2022, 2:26am UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/help-with-windows-migration-to-linux/801729/5 "2022-07-23T02:26:44Z")
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 😉 ) > [@Linux Tips](https://forums.plex.tv/t/linux-tips/276247/23): > > Migration from another OS to Linux Cross OS migration is a multi-level process. Copy the PMS databases and metadata Update all the media locations to point to their new locations. Prerequisites - On the originating host Settings - Server - Library Turn off: Scan my library automatically Run a partial scan when changes are detected Include music libraries in automatic scans Scan library periodically Empty trash automatically after every scan Stop Plex ZIP up the “Plex Media Server”… ---
**Author:** ![jspurgeon09](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/plex/user_avatar/forums.plex.tv/jspurgeon09/32/322233_2.png) [@jspurgeon09](https://forums.plex.tv/u/jspurgeon09)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2022, 2:31am UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/help-with-windows-migration-to-linux/801729/6 "2022-07-23T02:31:17Z")
Yes please ---
**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:** [July 23, 2022, 2:31am UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/help-with-windows-migration-to-linux/801729/7 "2022-07-23T02:31:47Z")
I linked it here ^^ for you. ---
**Author:** ![jspurgeon09](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/plex/user_avatar/forums.plex.tv/jspurgeon09/32/322233_2.png) [@jspurgeon09](https://forums.plex.tv/u/jspurgeon09)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2022, 2:40am UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/help-with-windows-migration-to-linux/801729/8 "2022-07-23T02:40:35Z")
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 ---
**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:** [July 23, 2022, 2:46am UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/help-with-windows-migration-to-linux/801729/9 "2022-07-23T02:46:40Z")
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. ---
**Author:** ![jspurgeon09](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/plex/user_avatar/forums.plex.tv/jspurgeon09/32/322233_2.png) [@jspurgeon09](https://forums.plex.tv/u/jspurgeon09)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2022, 2:53am UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/help-with-windows-migration-to-linux/801729/10 "2022-07-23T02:53:29Z")
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. ---
**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:** [July 23, 2022, 2:59am UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/help-with-windows-migration-to-linux/801729/11 "2022-07-23T02:59:36Z")
Excellent. Thanks. That’s what I thought. Open a terminal window session 1. Lets clear out the empty directory the installer created. ```auto $ 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” ```auto 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 ```auto 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. ```auto chown -R plex:plex ./Plex\ Media\ Server find . -type d -exec chmod 755 {} \; find . -type f -exec chmod 644 {} \; ``` ---
**Author:** ![jspurgeon09](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/plex/user_avatar/forums.plex.tv/jspurgeon09/32/322233_2.png) [@jspurgeon09](https://forums.plex.tv/u/jspurgeon09)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2022, 3:32am UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/help-with-windows-migration-to-linux/801729/12 "2022-07-23T03:32:15Z")
Its not zipped will that be a problem ---
**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:** [July 23, 2022, 3:33am UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/help-with-windows-migration-to-linux/801729/13 "2022-07-23T03:33:59Z")
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. ---
**Author:** ![jspurgeon09](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/plex/user_avatar/forums.plex.tv/jspurgeon09/32/322233_2.png) [@jspurgeon09](https://forums.plex.tv/u/jspurgeon09)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2022, 3:35am UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/help-with-windows-migration-to-linux/801729/14 "2022-07-23T03:35:10Z")
How do i do that ---
**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:** [July 23, 2022, 3:35am UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/help-with-windows-migration-to-linux/801729/15 "2022-07-23T03:35:38Z")
What are you using? Ubuntu? are you using the graphical file manager ? ---
**Author:** ![jspurgeon09](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/plex/user_avatar/forums.plex.tv/jspurgeon09/32/322233_2.png) [@jspurgeon09](https://forums.plex.tv/u/jspurgeon09)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2022, 3:37am UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/help-with-windows-migration-to-linux/801729/16 "2022-07-23T03:37:16Z")
Yes unbuntu. Graphical manager? ---
**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:** [July 23, 2022, 3:37am UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/help-with-windows-migration-to-linux/801729/17 "2022-07-23T03:37:40Z")
can you make a screenshot or is everything command line only? ---
**Author:** ![jspurgeon09](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/plex/user_avatar/forums.plex.tv/jspurgeon09/32/322233_2.png) [@jspurgeon09](https://forums.plex.tv/u/jspurgeon09)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2022, 11:44am UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/help-with-windows-migration-to-linux/801729/18 "2022-07-23T11:44:41Z")
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. ---
**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:** [July 23, 2022, 3:34pm UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/help-with-windows-migration-to-linux/801729/19 "2022-07-23T15:34:01Z")
> [@jspurgeon09](#): > > Im just tired last two pc’s have fried with windows. Did they get “fried” because of mechanical component failure or just get all whacked out? ---
**Author:** ![jspurgeon09](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/plex/user_avatar/forums.plex.tv/jspurgeon09/32/322233_2.png) [@jspurgeon09](https://forums.plex.tv/u/jspurgeon09)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2022, 4:24pm UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/help-with-windows-migration-to-linux/801729/20 "2022-07-23T16:24:12Z")
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 🤔. 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. [Next page](https://forums.plex.tv/t/help-with-windows-migration-to-linux/801729.md?page=2)