If you do that, you can’t be sure which server machine you are actually communicating with through the web app. Since both servers have identical “machine ID’s”.
(the location from where you load the web app into your browser doesn’t matter)
After cloning the data (make sure both source and target Plex servers are shut down during the copying process!)
you need to access the Windows registry of the clone and remove the item described in this article: https://support.plex.tv/articles/204281528-why-am-i-locked-out-of-server-settings-and-how-do-i-get-in/
Additionally, you must also remove the keys
- AnonymousMachineIdentifier
- MachineIdentifier
- ProcessedMachineIdentifier
Edit the key “FriendlyServerName” and change it, to be able to distinguish the clone from the original server.
Do also go into the Plex data folder of the clone and remove the file ...\Cache\cert-v2.p12
Only after all this, start Plex server on the clone. Then load the “local” web app of the clone in a private/incognito web browser tab, login to your plex account and wait for the prompt to “claim” the server.
