# Migrate plex server from windows to linux without having to scan all libraries **URL:** \ **Category:** Plex Media Server\ **Tags:** server-windows, server-linux\ **Created:** [December 4, 2022, 1:57pm UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/migrate-plex-server-from-windows-to-linux-without-having-to-scan-all-libraries/821391 "2022-12-04T13:57:44Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![thegrunge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/51bf81/32.png) [@thegrunge](https://forums.plex.tv/u/thegrunge)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2022, 1:57pm UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/migrate-plex-server-from-windows-to-linux-without-having-to-scan-all-libraries/821391/1 "2022-12-04T13:57:44Z")
Server Version#: 1.25.4.5487 Player Version#: LG webos Hello I would like to have an opinion on a way to migrate plex server from windows to linux without having to redo the scans of all the libraries, because everything is in google drive for the moment and the 2 systems do not have the same path of library. I tried with the file, com.plexapp.plugins.library.db but I end up with the wrong paths for each section. The goal is simply to keep the reading history as wellin the worst case, because I already have a linux server that is ready. Thanks! ---
**Author:** ![FordGuy61](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/22d042/32.png) [@FordGuy61](https://forums.plex.tv/u/FordGuy61)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2022, 5:16pm UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/migrate-plex-server-from-windows-to-linux-without-having-to-scan-all-libraries/821391/2 "2022-12-04T17:16:09Z")
Regarding watched status, see [Sync Watch State and Ratings](https://support.plex.tv/articles/sync-watch-state-and-ratings/). This syncs watched status with hosts at plex.tv. It is an account, not server, setting. Note the requirements listed in the support document. You will need to update to a newer version of Plex Media Server. To move from another OS to Linux, see the Linux FAQ: [Migration from another OS to Linux](https://forums.plex.tv/t/linux-tips/276247/23). This copies the entire [Plex Data Folder](https://support.plex.tv/articles/202915258-where-is-the-plex-media-server-data-directory-located/) to the new server. Plex will still scan the libraries on the new system. You are adding a new folder to an existing library. Plex does not know the new folder and the old folder point to the same files. ---
**Author:** ![thegrunge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/51bf81/32.png) [@thegrunge](https://forums.plex.tv/u/thegrunge)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2022, 7:33pm UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/migrate-plex-server-from-windows-to-linux-without-having-to-scan-all-libraries/821391/3 "2022-12-04T19:33:12Z")
> [@FordGuy61](#): > > yncs watched status Syncs watched status, I’ve tried it before, not sure what it does. Does it remember that you listened to content from plex itself or content from our own library because it seems to me that I had tested and it had nothing saved as viewing history. I am currently using an older version, because the most recent dolby vision format no longer works. ---
**Author:** ![FordGuy61](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/22d042/32.png) [@FordGuy61](https://forums.plex.tv/u/FordGuy61)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2022, 7:48pm UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/migrate-plex-server-from-windows-to-linux-without-having-to-scan-all-libraries/821391/4 "2022-12-04T19:48:13Z")
> [@thegrunge](#): > > not sure what it does _Plex allows you to optionally sync your watched/played state and personal ratings of movies and episodes with your Plex account online. That means that if you watch a movie on a friend’s server, it can update your account so that the movie will also be marked as watched on Plex’s Discover feature, our free Movies & Shows streaming service, and any Plex Media Server you have access to._ Example: You and a friend both have Avatar on your servers. You stream it from your friend’s server. Will also be marked as watched on your server. ---
**Author:** ![thegrunge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/51bf81/32.png) [@thegrunge](https://forums.plex.tv/u/thegrunge)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2022, 7:57pm UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/migrate-plex-server-from-windows-to-linux-without-having-to-scan-all-libraries/821391/5 "2022-12-04T19:57:34Z")
> [@FordGuy61](#): > > Plex’s Discover feature Ok so it wouldn’t be directly marked as seen like for example by doing a migration? we would see it in Plex’s Discover feature right? ---
**Author:** ![FordGuy61](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/22d042/32.png) [@FordGuy61](https://forums.plex.tv/u/FordGuy61)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2022, 8:26pm UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/migrate-plex-server-from-windows-to-linux-without-having-to-scan-all-libraries/821391/6 "2022-12-04T20:26:32Z")
> [@thegrunge](#): > > Ok so it wouldn’t be directly marked as seen like for example by doing a migration? > [@FordGuy61](#): > > marked as watched on … any Plex Media Server you have access to. Your existing server will sync status with plex.tv. If you restart Plex Media Server, it will sync status during the startup process, within ~5 minutes. When you watch a movie from the server, it will sync status within a couple of minutes of stopping playback. Your new server will reflect the same status once it is online and communicating with plex.tv. The activity is visible in the `Plex Media Server.log` file. Search for `ViewStateSync`. ```auto Dec 03, 2022 01:53:55.857 [0x7f570e408b38] DEBUG - [Req#146cc/ViewStateSync] Starting for user 1 Dec 03, 2022 01:53:55.857 [0x7f570e408b38] DEBUG - [Req#146cc/ViewStateSync] Sending state Dec 03, 2022 01:53:55.894 [0x7f570e408b38] DEBUG - [Req#146cc/ViewStateSync] All state sent Dec 03, 2022 01:53:55.894 [0x7f570e408b38] DEBUG - [Req#146cc/ViewStateSync] Getting state ``` ---
**Author:** ![thegrunge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/51bf81/32.png) [@thegrunge](https://forums.plex.tv/u/thegrunge)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2022, 8:33pm UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/migrate-plex-server-from-windows-to-linux-without-having-to-scan-all-libraries/821391/7 "2022-12-04T20:33:04Z")
Thanks for the help I had tried it and it didn’t seem to work I’ll look into this option then since my linux server is already up. Does it start saving your history when you turn it on? maybe that’s why I didn’t find it great when I tried it. Also, each user must activate this function in their account and can only do it if I have a fairly recent version, otherwise they don’t have the option like me right now. ---
**Author:** ![FordGuy61](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/22d042/32.png) [@FordGuy61](https://forums.plex.tv/u/FordGuy61)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2022, 10:42pm UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/migrate-plex-server-from-windows-to-linux-without-having-to-scan-all-libraries/821391/8 "2022-12-04T22:42:33Z")
You’ll need to update PMS to a supported version, 1.27.2 or later, before it will sync watch history. It is a per-user setting. Each user must enable it in their account settings. See the docs for details on where to enable. The user can enable it in their settings at any time, it just won’t work unless the server from where they stream is 1.27.2 or later. ---
**Author:** ![VBB](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/plex/user_avatar/forums.plex.tv/vbb/32/333130_2.png) [@VBB](https://forums.plex.tv/u/VBB)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2022, 11:14pm UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/migrate-plex-server-from-windows-to-linux-without-having-to-scan-all-libraries/821391/9 "2022-12-04T23:14:36Z")
Since I will be doing something very similar soon, my question is: will the sync feature enable all my users to keep their “Continue Watching” section intact? My guess is it will not, and if so, how would I save just that and do everything else from scratch? ---
**Author:** ![FordGuy61](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/22d042/32.png) [@FordGuy61](https://forums.plex.tv/u/FordGuy61)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2022, 12:00am UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/migrate-plex-server-from-windows-to-linux-without-having-to-scan-all-libraries/821391/10 "2022-12-05T00:00:03Z")
> [@VBB](#): > > will the sync feature enable all my users to keep their “Continue Watching” section intact? ~~If they enable the feature in their account and you are running a PMS version that supports the feature.~~ Correction: I don’t think Continue Watching is updated. I just re-read the support document. In Progress status is not synced. From the support doc: _ **Tip!** : If you stop watching an item part way through, the “in progress” information is not synced. Only if or when you complete the title (so it is “watched”) will the state get synced up. That’s intentional to ensure the source can’t be inferred to be a personal server._ > [@VBB](#): > > how would I save just that and do everything else from scratch? Correction: Follow the migration document. Since it copies the Plex database from the existing to new server, in-progress status should be copied over as well. The “Move Viewstate…” process will also copy in-progress states from one server to another. From the document: _The watched/unwatched, view progress, and ratings are stored in an install-independent fashion that makes them easy to move between installations or servers._ * * * If you follow [Migration from another OS to Linux](https://forums.plex.tv/t/linux-tips/276247/23), you copy over the entire [Plex Data Folder](https://support.plex.tv/articles/202915258-where-is-the-plex-media-server-data-directory-located/) from the existing server to the new server, including the Plex database. When you do that, it also copies over users’ watched status, which is kept in the Plex database. The process copies current watch status from the existing to the new server. There are no ongoing updates. That is why enabling [Sync Watch State and Ratings](https://support.plex.tv/articles/sync-watch-state-and-ratings/) is desirable. It let’s you keep both servers online and in sync with each other either full time or until you are ready to decommission the original server. Here’s a more generic version of the same information: [Move an Install to Another System](https://support.plex.tv/articles/201370363-move-an-install-to-another-system/) It is possible to export watched status from one server and import it to another. See [Move Viewstate/Ratings from One Install to Another](https://support.plex.tv/articles/201154527-move-viewstate-ratings-from-one-install-to-another/). This is useful if you already have both servers up and running. Note that the procedure captures watched status at the time of the export. There are no ongoing updates, which is why enabling [Sync Watch State and Ratings](https://support.plex.tv/articles/sync-watch-state-and-ratings/) is desirable. ---
**Author:** ![thegrunge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/51bf81/32.png) [@thegrunge](https://forums.plex.tv/u/thegrunge)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2022, 12:07am UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/migrate-plex-server-from-windows-to-linux-without-having-to-scan-all-libraries/821391/11 "2022-12-05T00:07:51Z")
> [@FordGuy61](#): > > It is a per-user setting. Each user must enable it in their account settings. See the docs for details on where to enable. The user can enable it in their settings at any time, it jus on my side I have already tested all that I first copy the old plex folder of windows that I replace by that of linux. The only thing is that the destinations are not the same so we have to repoint everything and do new scans which takes forever. Otherwise, I like to think later, once the migration is done, to activate the view history option, but how to ask whether an uncompleted movie will be indicated as not completed or as not seen remains an interesting question. The only thing that would prevent me from wasting my time with all this is that the dolby vision format has been abandoned by plex for 1 year with the versions that support the sync option ---
**Author:** ![FordGuy61](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/22d042/32.png) [@FordGuy61](https://forums.plex.tv/u/FordGuy61)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2022, 12:15am UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/migrate-plex-server-from-windows-to-linux-without-having-to-scan-all-libraries/821391/12 "2022-12-05T00:15:28Z")
> [@thegrunge](#): > > but how to ask whether an uncompleted movie will be indicated as not completed or as not seen remains an interesting question. Partially played status is not supported by the “Sync Watch State” feature. My initial reply was incorrect. See my corrected reply to @VBB. > [@thegrunge](#): > > dolby vision format has been abandoned by plex Not sure what you mean by this. Plex correctly plays Dolby Vision using the Plex app on my LG TV. Plex does not play DV media using my Shield, but that is because the Shield is from 2015 and does not support DV video. Plex will not transcode DV video, as it does not have a license from Dolby to do so. ---
**Author:** ![thegrunge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/51bf81/32.png) [@thegrunge](https://forums.plex.tv/u/thegrunge)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2022, 12:17am UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/migrate-plex-server-from-windows-to-linux-without-having-to-scan-all-libraries/821391/13 "2022-12-05T00:17:17Z")
With the last version I had the error even on the computer, color space unsuported. there are several conversations about it this is a problem that dates from the beginning of 2021. ---
**Author:** ![VBB](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/plex/user_avatar/forums.plex.tv/vbb/32/333130_2.png) [@VBB](https://forums.plex.tv/u/VBB)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2022, 12:18am UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/migrate-plex-server-from-windows-to-linux-without-having-to-scan-all-libraries/821391/14 "2022-12-05T00:18:11Z")
> [@FordGuy61](#): > > Partially played status is not supported by the “Sync Watch State” feature Right, but that’s not even my concern. I’m worried about unfinished shows not showing up in “Continue Watching”, and like you said, for that we would have to copy over the database. ---
**Author:** ![thegrunge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/51bf81/32.png) [@thegrunge](https://forums.plex.tv/u/thegrunge)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2022, 12:20am UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/migrate-plex-server-from-windows-to-linux-without-having-to-scan-all-libraries/821391/15 "2022-12-05T00:20:59Z")
If people have 10th of things not finished, it’s to ask questions, if an episode is not finished, it’s understandable as long as the others see it as finished. ---
**Author:** ![FordGuy61](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/22d042/32.png) [@FordGuy61](https://forums.plex.tv/u/FordGuy61)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2022, 12:21am UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/migrate-plex-server-from-windows-to-linux-without-having-to-scan-all-libraries/821391/16 "2022-12-05T00:21:31Z")
> [@thegrunge](#): > > with the last version I had the error even on the computer error color space unsuported. > there are several conversations about it. The “color space not supported” message appears when Plex would need to transcode DV video, which it cannot do. ---
**Author:** ![thegrunge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/51bf81/32.png) [@thegrunge](https://forums.plex.tv/u/thegrunge)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2022, 12:23am UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/migrate-plex-server-from-windows-to-linux-without-having-to-scan-all-libraries/821391/17 "2022-12-05T00:23:10Z")
exact, but going back to the version that I have everything is fine. unless windows is the problem, I tried without the gpu of the video card and with ---
**Author:** ![VBB](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/plex/user_avatar/forums.plex.tv/vbb/32/333130_2.png) [@VBB](https://forums.plex.tv/u/VBB)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2022, 12:24am UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/migrate-plex-server-from-windows-to-linux-without-having-to-scan-all-libraries/821391/18 "2022-12-05T00:24:02Z")
Going by what my wife has in her queue, I have to assume that most of my users are similar in that they have lots and lots of shows they’ve started, but never finished, ongoing or not. I don’t want them to lose that, as I’d hate to lose that myself. I really wish admins had full control over sync status, and not the user. I don’t think a single one of my users even knows about this feature, just like they don’t know that they can adjust the quality of the stream. Most, if not all of Plex’s features are lost on the end-user… ---
**Author:** ![thegrunge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/51bf81/32.png) [@thegrunge](https://forums.plex.tv/u/thegrunge)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2022, 12:25am UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/migrate-plex-server-from-windows-to-linux-without-having-to-scan-all-libraries/821391/19 "2022-12-05T00:25:57Z")
> [@VBB](#): > > Going by what my wife has in her queue, I have to assume that most of my users are similar in that they have lots and lots of shows they’ve started, but never finished, ongoing or nor. I don’t want them to lose that, as I’d hate to lose that myself. > > I really wish admins had full control over sync status, and not the user. I don’t think a single one of my users even knows about this feature, just like they don’t know that they can adjust the quality of the stream. once the migration is done and the scan of the libraries is done, there would be no need for the sync as long as a back up is done occasionally for this kind of situation. ---
**Author:** ![VBB](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/plex/user_avatar/forums.plex.tv/vbb/32/333130_2.png) [@VBB](https://forums.plex.tv/u/VBB)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2022, 12:28am UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/migrate-plex-server-from-windows-to-linux-without-having-to-scan-all-libraries/821391/20 "2022-12-05T00:28:27Z")
Yeah, but the burden is on the admin to back up and restore everything during migration. It has been said many times before, but this process needs to be simplified and made much more accessible and streamlined for the admin. Would be awesome if more things (just like sync) could be saved on Plex’s side (aka the cloud). [Next page](https://forums.plex.tv/t/migrate-plex-server-from-windows-to-linux-without-having-to-scan-all-libraries/821391.md?page=2)