Migrating Metadata from Windows Plex Server to QNAP

[paulh2_paulharrison5.co.uk]

Server Version#: 1.24.0.4930 (Windows) 1.23.4 (QNAP)

I am migrating my Plex library from a Windows PC to a QNAP TVS-h1688X. I’m currently in the process of copying the files over, but have had no luck in finding any directions or even hits as to how to migrate the Metadata (especially custom movie posters etc. plus collections and watched / unwatched data).

I’ve read this article: Move an Install to Another System which really doesn’t help (other than stating that “It is generally possible to move between different operating systems, but that’s much more complicated and requires mapping the additional server settings from how they’re stored in one operating system to the other (e.g. mapping Windows registry values to the OS X plist file). That is not officially supported and not covered here.”

I did find one forum thread where it looked like someone had done something similar (which I now can’t find again) but half the thread was missing (someone was asking questions, and getting answers, but the answers were all missing .

I’m guessing the answer is therefore probably that I’ll have to just recreate it all manually and that I’m going to lose watched / unwatched data, but I thought I’d ask if anyone had any suggestions?

Also, is it possible to have two plex servers running, so that I can at least go through by hand and copy over episode synopses and posters?

Thanks!

[ChuckPa]

1. Stop Plex on the QNAP
2. Create a shared folder, on any volume, named PlexData
3. Start Plex
4. Stop Plex
5. Open File Station – Observe you have a PlexData → Plex Media Server entry.

On PC.

1. Turn off all automatic updating and empty trash … (the works)
2. Stop Plex
3. find the “Plex Media Server” directory
4. Get into it (explorer)
5. Make a ZIP file of everything you see that folder

On QNAP:

1. Open File Station → PlexData → Plex Media Server
2. Take note of what you see there.
3. Delete everything EXCEPT Preferences.xml (this is the server’s ID)
4. Upload the ZIP file from the PC into this directory
5. “UNZIP” it here.
6. When done, you will see the same directories again (emphasis on Plug-in Support, Media, and Metadata.
7. If the structure is not right, fix it using FileStation.
8. After all is unzipped – you may remove the ZIP
9. Start Plex on the QNAP
10. Open it by IP address http://ip.addr.of.qnap:32400/web
11. it will want to be claimed. (“Got It”, and Claim)
12. For each library section you have -
    a. EDIT the section’s folder list
    b. ADD the new location on the QNAP - DO NOT REMOVE the old location yet
    c. OK the changes.
    d. Watch as PMS finds the media and marks as duplicate (2) in Plex web
    e. When all have been found,
    f. Edit again and REMOVE the old Windows location.
    g. OK again. – Observe as the duplicate indicators are removed
    h. Proceed to the next section
13. After all sections complete -
14. Scan files for everything (observe no changes)
15. Empty Trash (observe no changes)
16. Clean Bundles (gets rid of old Windows records)
17. Optimize database

[paulh2_paulharrison5.co.uk]

Awesome, thank you so much ChuckPa I’ll give that a whirl!

[ChuckPa]

Walk through it first –

Look at it and understand what’s happening.

A dry-run or two makes for better results in cases like this

[paulh2_paulharrison5.co.uk]

Thanks good suggestion.

Current status: Both servers are down, final library files are transferring from the PC to the QNAP (about 8 hours to go). I have copied the contents of the PC’s Plex Media Server to the QNAP (less the Preferences.xml file). I ended up copying them manually rather than via .zip file as I couldn’t find a way to extract the .zip file on the QNAP, but I have zipped backups of both locations.

I should be ready to start Plex up on the QNAP and begin that process tomorrow, but, so far, so good…

[ChuckPa]

Unzip is done in FileStation.

right click the ZIP file. → extract.

You can put them in the subdirectory if you want then fix up if needed using CUT & PASTE.

[paulh2_paulharrison5.co.uk]

OK, I’m on Step 12, I claimed the server, added the Library locations on the QNAP (note, I can’t browse to them, I had to type the folder locations in (if I browse, I just see a lot of folders like “ZFS1_DATA”, not the shares.

When I complete that step, it takes me to the Plex home screen but says “No content available
Check your network connection and verify that any media servers are online.”

If I click on any of my libraries, I get " Harrison-Plex is currently unavailable Verify you have a network connection and that the server is online, or see our troubleshooting tips for further assistance."

It looks like its trying to connect to the PC server (which is shut down), not the QNAP server (which is running).

[ASiDiE]

ChuckPa,

Actually came here to start a new thread or find one… I am looking to move from my Nvidia shield to my Qnap. I think the process should be the same. However, it looks like you are scanning each library again (Step 12) of the Qnap. To me, this is going to scan the whole library again and create new items (cover art) and then you remove the old path. The problem is, I have over 25K albums and I will say 2/3’s is not being picked up by artist/album service and I have had to do everything by hand. I already tried this once and I guess I did something wrong because some of the cover art was not coming in from my backups.

Now maybe this will never work due to my path on my library is going to be a share… where the path on the Qnap is going to be something like this: /share/CACHEDEV1_DATA/.qpkg/PlexMediaServer

But maybe I just need to point it right back out to the same share as where my nvidia shield was going and that would do the trick.

My goal is to copy over the data and have everything in my metadata/Posters to line up and I have very little work to do once I copy over the data.

Really wish the Nvidia shield would support to Sonic scanning and I wouldn’t have to move anything.

[ChuckPa]

@ASiDiE

My goal is to copy over the data and have everything in my metadata/Posters to line up and I have very little work to do once I copy over the data.

There is work involved. You can either perfectly move from one platform to another and have it be transparent -or- you can start over. Choose one.

If you create a “PlexData” shared folder then restart Plex, you’ll find a new linkage in PlexData/Plex Media Server which will greatly ease the task of migrating.

Here, I have restated the process. It is what it is. (this is for a Linux workstation but the actual PMS work is the same. If you treat both boxes as Linux machines, it will work for you as well.

Linux Tips

Moving your media and keeping the metadata - The TL;DR This Tip / How-To, while tagged for Linux, is applicable to all PMS platforms. Preparation Turn off “Empty Trash after Library Scan” Turn off “Automatically Update my Library” Move your media Make any configuration changes or physical media file moving you need to. When you are done, proceed with the actual PMS configuration change Updating your PMS configruation Edit each library section - Folders - ADD the new location. DO N…

[paulh2_paulharrison5.co.uk]

For what its worth, if I try to connect via https://app.plex.tv/ I get the same message as if I connect directly via http://192.168.1.40:32400/web.

[ChuckPa]

@paulh2_paulharrison5.co.uk

On QuTS hero, You’ll find applications are now stored in ZFS530_DATA.

QNAP has created the most bizarre mechanism to naming of datasets

[paulh2_paulharrison5.co.uk]

@ChuckPa

@paulh2_paulharrison5.co.uk

On QuTS hero, You’ll find applications are now stored in ZFS530_DATA.

QNAP has created the most bizarre mechanism to naming of datasets

That does seem very bizarre…

So the share path to one of my libraries is, for example Plex 1/Movies, how should I enter that in Plex as the browser won’t seem to browse through subdirectories?

[ChuckPa]

There is one saving grace in with QNAP (QTS or QuTS)

1. Create the shared folder
2. In Plex, access it as /share/SharedFolderName
3. You don’t care where it actually is anymore.

I use /share/movies, /share/movies2, etc. This ‘pseudo-partitioning’ works well for my backup solution.

[paulh2_paulharrison5.co.uk]

Got it, that worked, all the libraries were found. I had to delete the Preferences.xml file on the QNAP and have it recreate it, then reclaim the server from the web player, now it finds the server and libraries no problem.

Before I continue though, I have both the original PC folders and the new QNAP folders in each library, but it is not showing duplicates. If I go to any item in any library and click Get Info, the only file location shown is the new QNAP location. All my collections are intact, my custom posters all seem to be there, played / not played, recently played etc. all seem to be intact (i.e. from a top level perspective, the Plex library looks exactly how it did before).

As it is not showing duplicates, I just wanted to double check that it is OK to proceed to step 12 f (i.e. remove the Windows locations)?

Thank you so much for all the help, it looks like this is going to work beautifully!

[ChuckPa]

@paulh2_paulharrison5.co.uk

I think you missed the one step.

…
…
…

• Edit the library section
• Remove the old folder path(s)
• SAVE
• Scan Files
• Empty Trash
• Clean Bundles (this removes what it had linked to the old paths)
• Optimize Database (squash out all the old and unused deleted records)

[paulh2_paulharrison5.co.uk]

@ChuckPa

For each library section you have -
a. EDIT the section’s folder list
b. ADD the new location on the QNAP - DO NOT REMOVE the old location yet
c. OK the changes.
d. Watch as PMS finds the media and marks as duplicate (2) in Plex web

I’ve completed all steps to this point, but PMS did not find duplicates, only the the new QNAP locations. I haven’t yet removed the old folder paths or any of the following steps.

As its not even showing duplicates for whatever reason, I assume its safe to remove the old locations and proceed to clean up the database, but wanted to check as step 12d didn’t go quite as predicted…

[ChuckPa]

I had expected it to show as duplicate.

If it’s not and everything is there – with nothing “UNAVAILABLE” – then go for it.

[paulh2_paulharrison5.co.uk]

I completed the migration last night. Everything seems to be working fine. Thanks again for the guidance.

[ASiDiE]

ChuckPa,

So I have tried this a couple of times… Created the PlexData folder, the Plex Media Server. I copy in all my data and make sure the Qnap preferences.xml is in there. I hit the website and claim the server. I see my Library’s in there and add the new path on the qnap to my Music and leave the old path. At this point it’s doing a scan… but 99% of my cover art is not there. I would think everything would line up right now and all the cover art would be there. Due to the amount of music I have this scan takes about 2 days.

Did I somehow do something wrong? I copied over EVERYTHING (100GB of metadata) and I don’t want to waste 2 days in doing the scan if it is just going to end up with no cover art.

Please let me know your thoughts.

[ChuckPa]

@ASiDiE

Let’s walk through this step by step.
Please tell me where it deviated and I can then help resolve

1. You created a PlexData shared folder
2. Restarted Plex
3. Stopped Plex so the files can be transferred
4. Opened FileStation → PlexData → Click into “Plex Media Server”
5. Started copying your files into that “Plex Media Server” folder.
6. When complete, you should have something that looks like (as example)

DataVol1/
  PlexData/
    Plex Media Server/
       Caches/
       Codecs/
       Media/
       Metadata/
       Plug-ins/
       Plug-in  Support/
       Preferences.xml

Look about right ?