Had to reinstall Windows on my existing server a few months ago, and I lost all the external subtitles that I had added to a bunch of different TV shows and movies and custom posters as well. It was a massive pain to add them back and it took me a day and a half to get everything back the way I wanted.
I followed the official Plex tutorial.
Only one exception, I didn’t copy the Plex specific Windows Registry files. Not sure why registry would affect external subs and custom posters but is there any chance that ruined my migration last time?
I’m planning another Windows reinstall soon, what do I do to ensure external subs and posters don’t get wiped out and I can basically have all my existing server settings + data on the new Windows install?
all media files will be accessible on the new machine under the same “address” (i.e. drive letter [and/or network file share name], folder name, file name) as they were on the old server
copy over the whole plex data folder, while both the source and the target Plex server are NOT running
Will take note of that for future subs/posters, but am I basically screwed for all my existing media? All of the subs / posters were uploaded through the web app. Is there no way to restore them on a new install?
I copied the whole Plex data folder last time as well, but skipped the registry part. I will be setting up a new machine to replace the old one so they won’t be running simultaneously.
That’s tackled in the second half of my above response.
IF the media files keep on being accessible under the same address as they were before, they will also retain all uploaded assets. However, if the file address has changed, chances are that the old “metadata bundle” was lost and a new one was created instead. Which then doesn’t have the uploaded stuff in it.
If you still have the old plex data folder somewhere, you can try again to copy it over.
But it will only be good if you also make the media files available under their old address.
And if the plex data folder was copied while the old server was still running (or it was abruptly stopped or crashed), then you might have to revert to an older database backup, before starting the new server for the first time. https://support.plex.tv/articles/202485658-restore-a-database-backed-up-via-scheduled-tasks/
All current media is on a Windows Storage Spaces pool with the driver letter ‘T’. If the same pool is added to the new OS install with the same drive letter, that counts as the same address, right?
Anything beyond that is out of my control, I can only ensure the drive letter remains the same, but if Plex still detects it as a new location/address, then I’m screwed…
Correct.
Important: if you add your media from a source that is not inside the Plex server machine, make sure that “Empty trash automatically after every scan” is not enabled.
This method works. I’ve moved my own server to a new machine just recently and didn’t lose anything due to the transition.
Yes, only the app data folder, nothing from registry.
They were still there, however all custom posters disappeared and were automatically replaced by Plex and external subtitles were also lost in the process. I don’t remember if the drive letters were the same on the new machine, so I’m hoping that will save me this time.
Migrated the server today, copied Plex data folder and registry to the new machine and made sure drive letters were the same as before, prior to starting PMS.
Signed in to Plex and it was as if I was using the old server.
Everything exactly where it was, including external subs and custom posters.
