Server Version#: 1.21.1.3842
Player Version#:
Ubuntu Version#: 20.10
I have Plex Server installed on Ubuntu 20.10
I have my library on an external HDD that I can view edit create delete files on in the Files Browser of Ubuntu, but Plex Server cannot see any files at all. It can see that the HDD exists, but nothing beyond that.
In searching, I have found this problem listed time and time again, but none of the solutions (most going back as far as 2013-14)
Most of places say edit the plex prefrences to change the user from plex to my own name, but the locations they state for the file to edit do not exit, or plex has moved them to somewhere else.
Another interesting suggestion is this:
“Is the drive mounted under your user folder where the user plex that Plex Media Server runs as can’t access it?”
I haven’t a clue how to do this. Ubuntu just mounts the drive at start up.
Your information pointed me in the right direction. I understood what needed to be done, I’m just terrible at command line stuff… But the way I fixed it was with the underlying principle that I, the user I log in with, need to own and operate the Mount point for my external USB drive.
I used the Ubuntu built in GUI App “Disks” to edit the drive’s mount point, putting it into a folder in my ~home.
Problem solved. Plex can now see what is going and the external disk is fully available.
If you’re only seeing success when the media is in your home directory You probably downloaded PMS from the Ubuntu App Store ???
Ubuntu App Store is a SNAP package. Snap packages cannot see outside your home directory.
SNAP packages don’t have HW transcoding so this is something you may want to reconsider.
If you download and install from plex.tv/downloads, you’ll be able to put your media back where you wanted and have access to HW transcoding (assuming your CPU is capable)
No, I told the system to mount my USB drive at /disks/myusbdrive instead of the default place, where ever that may be. It seems to act like a Link/Alias/Shortcut to the drive, but I can read and write to it.
How did you “tell the system to mount my USB” ?
Did you create an entry in /etc/fstab or did you use a desktop tool to do it? (Gnome Disks utility) ?
I’m asking because the procedure I wrote and placed in the How-To works perfectly every time if all steps are followed as written. If there is a substitution or a step is skipped then it’s likely to fail.
Per my other question: Where did you download Plex from? Ubuntu or Plex ?
I guess my first reply wasn’t specific enough, so I apologize for that. I am a GUI GUY all the way. I can do linux enough to think “Sure, I can run Plex on a Pi,” but not well enough to sift through pages of text commands, permissions hashtag beep boop bop blah blah blah…But after the guide that Tom80H suggested, I at least understood weat needed to be done. So, I set out digging through the GUI until I found what I was looking for., lol…
In the Ubuntu desktop environment, I used an App that came with Ubuntu called “Disks.”
I unmounted my USB drive, then selected it in that window. From a popup window, I choose to edit mount…
Next I set the Mount Point to a folder I had personally created.
Now, Plex can see my USB Drive.
That’s all the explanation I got in me. It works.
PS I downloaded from the Plex website, not the Ubuntu app store or what ever it is.
Fair enough. I was only trying to help because in that How-To, I gave all the command sequences . It is setup as a copy/edit-to-suite-your-config/paste instruction.
The How-To helped, so thank you for creating it. Part of what confused me was the # it was all over the place I wasn’t sure it that meant a comment or what, plus doing three different drives at the same time was also losing me. Also, not knowing how to make the command prompt have a name it other than my own, like “myuser@mypi:~$” … But the steps helped me to understand. So nothing is wrong with the guide, as far as I know. It’s completely my own ignorance as to the syntax and whatnot of command prompt stuff in linux. I grew with IBM ATs at school running DOS, but my family had an Apple ][gs and so … here I am, lol.
