Optimize and remove original

General Discussions
1

Hello,
I’m low on free space on my plex server and I want to optimize all libraries and delete the original content.
Is there any possibility to delete the original without deleting the optimized versions ?

Thank you

2

Create and add a new directory to the library section’s list of directories.
When optimizing, store everything there.
After optimization is complete, remove that directory from the list of directories.
Rename the optimized directory name (parent)

3

You might want to consider turning off “Empty Trash on Library Update”

4

It’s actually pretty simple Valiciopei:
For my setup I have a Linux-Ubuntu server with 2 drives. A 1TB drive that holds the OS and apps (where my Plex app lives) and a 8TB drive that is solely for my Plex videos (just an FYI and a best practice suggestion: I also have a super simple 8 TB NAS that I backup my videos to. BAD THING! to have that drive fail :slight_smile: ).

So this is how I keep the optimized version and delete the original:

  1. When I selected the video to be optimized, I made note of destination drive and folder for the optimized version (I wanted it going to the 8TB drive. I think the Plex default is to put the optimized version on the same drive that has the Plex app…
    Fyi, if this is your first optimized video, I think Plex will create a folder called “Plex Versions” and inside that folder will be another sub folder called “Optimized for TV”. (because I choose ‘optimize for TV’ as the optimization profile). This is where the finished optimized video goes.
  2. I have Desktop installed on my server, so I log into the Desktop, locate the folder containing the optimized version (you could also use SSH but it will be all command line. If you have a Windows based Plex, I assume you can RDP into the server).
  3. IMPORTANT! Rename the optimized video. If it’s called "Movie X’, change the name to ‘Movie X (year movie released)’. If it’s called ‘Movie X (year it was released)’ change it to "Movie X’ (by keeping this naming convention, I’ve found Plex always remembers the movie and metadata). (Another Fyi, I first tried only moved the optimized video to another directory, I didn’t rename it. When I deleted the original it still deleted the optimized version. By renaming it Plex seems to forget all about the original-optimized connection).
  4. Move the video from the ‘Plex Version\optimized for’ folder to the main movie database folder or into the folder Movie Database\Movie X sub folder.
  5. Delete the original (I’ve found I can delete the original just like I would delete any file on a computer/server, or I can delete it through the Plex app. Either way works. Deleting it from Desktop/RDP/SSH you’ll need to run ‘Scan library’ to get Plex to recognize only one video exists).
    Done! Plex now sees the optimized version as the only version that exists and all metadata remains (many of my movies have unique backgrounds. I don’t want to lose that metadata).
    Disclaimer: I’m running Ubuntu 16.04. on the latest Plex version for 08-18-18. I’ve now successfully optimized dozens of videos and deleted the originals using this method. So whatever your setup is I assume it will work the same way …but I would test it out with 1 video first and before doing it, copt that video and keep it somewhere retrievable just in case. If not then have a good un-delete program ready :slight_smile: (My very first use of optimizing, I optimized 10 movies then deleted the originals – only to learn that Plex deletes the optimized version too. Urgh!! Thanks to Test Disk tools I was able to un-delete all 10).

I hope this helps…

5

STOP! DO NOT USE MY ABOVE POST! The process in my last post, for whatever reason, didn’t work this evening. Either the update changed it or I logged my steps wrong (and posted them incorrectly).
So here is a new way that I just tested twice: Take the optimized version and move it out of the plex library folder altogether. Run ‘scan library’ and see that the video now shows only one version. Rename the video you moved out (take out the year or put the year back in), move it back into the plex, library folder, rescan the library.
Now go to the video and you’ll see the “2” in the corner of the movie poster. Now hit the three dots and click delete. You should now get the option to delete one or the other version. Delete the original - now you have the optimized version.
Again I’d back up the video and run this test (but it has worked for me twice now).

You’ll know this worked

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