Copy the content that’s moving in the new location
Add it as a path in the library and let Plex read it as duplicate
Delete all of the files in the original path and then empty the trash
Remove the old path from the library
That sounds like it would keep all of my watched settings, custom sorting and custom posters.
In the article, it sounds like Plex would need to be down while I did the migration, but in the steps I mention above, Plex would remain online. Essentially, I’m moving my movie collection to my new NAS (ols NAS is almost out of space), so the network path is changing for that library.
Hmmmm, I never thought of that. I guess I just like to keep all of my content together - all TV shows under one folder structure, all movies under another. But you bring up an interesting solution though that’s certainly worth considering.
As for what’s described in the article vs what I’m talking about, I don’t want to have my Plex down at all, but I guess it doesn’t matter to have it down for a day or so.
Before you start the process, you should better Refresh Metadata of the whole library(s).
This is to ensure that all items are already matched to the new metadata agents.
If you fail to do so, there may be still some items “in limbo”. The described moving method won’t work on these and you will end up with lots of “new” items.
I think the steps you mention steps that require the server to be down… And you mentioned the word “migration”. If it’s what I suspect, you are reading the article on how to migrate the SERVER ITSELF, not the media, to another computer. I don’t think you are doing that, but are just moving the media. To move media, simply follow the steps you stated, which are all from that article.
Ignore any article that describes how to “migrate” your server to another machine.
If you move the media in steps like mentioned, then Plex will retain all watched states, custom metadata, custom posters, custom artwork, custom sorting, etc.
Well, I did a test move of one of my smaller libraries (“Kids Movies”) and after copying the files to my new NAS, adding a new path in the library (\NAS1\Kids Movies already existed, so I added \NAS2\Kids Movies) and scanning the library files, I now I have TWO items listed for each entry…and a lot of those don’t even have the correct metadata (I have to manually fix the match).
Did you refresh the metadata of the library before you added the new Nas?
Yes. I did a manual scan of the “Kids Movies” library and waited for it to finish before adding the library from NAS2.
Are your files named in a way which ensures safe, correct matching?
Yes. 99% of my files get recognized and matched properly whenever I add new content. It’s rare that I have to go in and fix match.
With this test of the Kids Movies library, I have some movies, like “The Land Before Time”, where Plex is showing two of same entries in the library - with the same name, metadata and movie poster. I assumed that it would find the second copy and add it under the original listing, but just have two files listed under “Get Info”.
The situation you gave where you add a second library source and now you have two of each movie is a symptom of the library not having its metadata refreshed for quite some time.
See, a few months ago, they changed the ID numbers of a lot of movies in our libraries. They needed to be refreshed to match against the current IDs. If you don’t update the IDs by refreshing metadata before adding a second source, Plex will think the “new” copy of a movie it found is technically a different ID, so is a different movie.
Remove the second source you just added (/NAS2), then do a Refresh Metadata on the entire library. Wait for it to finish, then add the second source back in.
I just wanted to emphasize the point. Looking at the quote, it does seem like I am yelling. Sorry. I just wanted to make sure you were doing the “Refresh Metadata” option for these media before transferring. Did you do that? Did it help?
I just wanted to emphasize the point. Looking at the quote, it does seem like I am yelling. Sorry. I just wanted to make sure you were doing the “Refresh Metadata” option for these media before transferring. Did you do that? Did it help?
No need to apologize at all. Your reply was actually very clear and helped a lot. I refreshed the metadata, added the path to the new NAS and everything worked as expected (it added a second file to each entry). Then I removed the old and path and everything looks good now.
I appreciate the help. Sorry for not understanding how this all works. I rarely have to get into the nitty gritty of Plex, so sometimes it takes me a bit to catch on :).
