Libraries and 6TB External Hard Drives

Plex Media Server Metadata & Adding Files
1

Server Version#:4.1.1
Player Version#:4.1.1.
In my quest to figure out Libraries, I have 5 Questions :

I have a 750GB Hard disk. And about 3TB Used space on external Hard Drives(My Book) .

Questions:

  1. Can I keep the the file on the external HD’s and create Libraries that point to each of the Hard Drives then save the Library?
  2. TV Show I want to play MacGyver 2016, Do I have to point to each file or can I point a directory?
  3. I keep getting the error code after a create the Libraries “unable to save the Library”. if the library is named “Action” How to I change where the library is saved and how do I change it reflect a “savable location” do I change the location of said Library(Action)?.
  4. is a library on file at a time can a folder be in a library?

that’s all folks,
Thank you for reading…
John

2

1, You can keep your files on the external HDD(s) just as you would on internal HDDs or on a NAS. The only requirement is they mount (/etc/fstab) before PMS starts.

  1. The method you use is to create a “TV” directory containing all your series.

/hdd/
   tv/
     Star Trek (1966)/
       season 1/
         episodes here
      Another Series/
        Season 1/
          Another Series - S01E01 - title.ext
          Another Series - S01E02 - title.ext

Repeat the structure as often as needed

Sections are created and point to the TOP level → /hdd/tv (in this case)
They are a group of series stored in a folder (or multiple folders)

I have

  • /nas/tv, /nas/tv2, (as main tv);
  • /nas/tv3 is for cartoons,
  • /nas/tv4 is for cooking programs

It’s really flexible.

If you need help mounting external drives, there is a how-to (shows you step-by-step)

3

fstab.txt (1.0 KB)

Here is my fstab file , I really don’t know what to look for, can you help ? John

4

show me a ‘df’ with all the drives mounted as they currently are (automounter)

I’ll show you how to get the information and, using the guide I wrote, translate that into new lines to add to /etc/ffstab.

Sincerely, these are skills you need to have / learn. We support linux but aren’t equipped to teach it beyond how to use Plex on Linux .

5

What is a “df?” How do i find it?

6

df is a command you can use in the Linux shell/terminal.
This particular command will list all drives currently mounted in your system and the used/available space.

How comfortable are you to operate your server on a Linux platform? (meaning no disrespect… I feel people will have a hard time managing their server if they’re not familiar with the host platform and should therefore go with a platform they know how to manage or are willing/capable to learn – based on your questions it seems like you’re not all that familiar with Linux… again, no offense, just an observation)

7

Answers to Question:
I don’t know the Linux commands. Little by little I am Learning them. I have gone from MS Dos to windows and now Linux. I know that Linux is a “type” (lack of a better word) of Unix. I have a severely underpowered Desktop that I want to put all of my media in a centralized location and play it through Roku boxes scattered throughout the house.
BTW Here is my df, which shows all hard drives , partitions on all drives!
df.txt (2.0 KB)

8

Let me help you learn the forum.

  1. Linux was created because of what Unix cost back in the day AND that AT&T didn’t have any interest in advancing it. It’s Unix-like. MacOS came directly from Unix and still bears a lot of commonality. Linux has a similar structure and many things are the same but quite a few are linux-unique.

  2. There’s lot of helpful tutorials out there. I would indeed read them and practice them. You’ll find, if you’re willing to put in the time, Linux is easy to learn – but there’s a LOT to learn. (I’ve been doing it for 24 years now and still learn new things here and there)

  3. Here, In the forum, You can copy / paste console text directly into your reply.

the </> (code) key at the top of the reply window will let you paste any text you want.

```
paste something here
```

Will look like (which is fixed width and easy to read)

paste something here
  1. As for the output you sent me.

I see a lot of partitions mounted under /media/media.

Of those, I see drive /dev/sdf has 10 partitions. (mount points listed)

Are you trying to mount each of them?

Also , are you trying to run a Kubernetes cluster ? (I see it’s installed)

1 Like
9

They are mounted already.

If i have directory inside a subdirectory
Such as

Action|
           |--1960
                  |
                  |--file1.ext
                  |--file2.ext

Will PMS tell you that the library is empty.
Jtm

10

If i rename the files with {plex.id} {d.format(mm/dd/yyy)} {series}{season: s}
All files are mkv, and will the plex player play this file? John

11

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