Plex Server on Ubuntu 19.10 no write access

[rolandclouse_gmail_com]

Server Version#:1.18.1.1973
Player Version#:
I’m new to Plex, but not computers as I spend 39 years working on mostly
mainframe computers (although I worked on enough Windows, Unix, Posix
systems) before I retired 13 years ago. That’s 52 years dealing with the
dang things.

I looked into Plex to replace Windows Media Center due to the soon end
of support for Windows 7. I first tried running Plex Media Server on
Windows 7 with some success, but decided I needed to move on the Linux.

So I installed UBUNTU 19.10 on my Media Center PC and then installed
PLEX. Although I had previous experience with Linux and UBUNTU, it was
not recently and I had never heard of SNAPs which is what the PLEX
server was.

Plex installed was: Plex Media Server v1.18.1.1973-0f4abfbcc - Ubuntu
snap x86_64

I was impressed right away that I could view live TV without any
trouble. I then struggled for 3-4 days trying to get it to record
anything. Everything I tried got the dreaded “No write access to
destination”. After much searching of the forum and looking at the PLEX
server logs I found:

DEBUG - DVR:Grabber: Saving recording to "/PlexMedia/TvShows/.grab …
ERROR - DVR:Grabber: No write permission.

Ok, check file permissions, but find I already had them set to 0777.

On another try, I found an ERROR in the log that said “read only
filesystem” (sorry, can’t find that log file now). That led to more
Google searches, running fschk, etc till I finally found that the file
system was not readonly, I could write into my home directory. More
research found:

sudo lsblk -o NAME,FSTYPE,SIZE,MOUNTPOINT,LABEL,RO,MODE

NAME FSTYPE SIZE MOUNTPOINT LABEL RO MODE
sda5 ext4 159.8G / 0 brw-rw----

I noticed all of the filesystem had the same permissions. About this
time I discovered that PMS was running under root. The forums say this
should never be done. I checked and no user PLEX had been installed, but
a group named PLEX had. So I installed a PLEX user, but I have no idea
how to get the server started running under PLEX.

So I tried changing the PlexMedia and TvShows directories to be owned by
root and have group root. Still no write access.

One more try, I moved the PlexMedia and TvShows directories to
/home/plex. Now I can record.

So my questions:

1. Is the server supposed to be running under user Plex and group Plex?
2. Why didn’t the user get installed?
3. How do you start the server under user Plex?
4. Can someone explain how all the filesystems get brw-rw---- permissions?
5. Is there something special about the root directory as far as permissions?
6. Where are the Plex logs and config under the Snap environment

Sorry for being so long winded.

[ChuckPa]

The server will always run as user plex:plex unless an override has been placed.

If I may offer a how-to which has helped many,

Using EXT, NTFS, or other format drives (internal or external) on Linux

This document is of primary interest to anyone who has connected USB drives or has media on other internal drives but user plex can’t access it due to Linux’s default security mechanisms. WARNING: This procedure will not work for SNAP, Docker or other container mechanisms unless expressly handled within the confines of the container. This procedure is intended for use with the dpkg package. We will walk through the steps needed to add these external USB hard drives and internal hard drives…

This will help with the inheritance issues and propagating permissions.

Automating Linux permissions using inheritance (Helps DVR)

Linux has a very powerful and convenient way of automatically setting the permissions of your media files as you add more to your media directories. Linux allows only one username and one group to own a file which is somewhat of a restriction. This can be easily leveraged to accomplish what is needed for Plex. An excellent application of this is when you wish to record with Plex DVR, allowing it to write directly into your library, while you retain full permission / control of your media. …

If your media is on a NAS, this will be of help.

How to mount media from your NAS shares on Linux using NFS

Mounting NFS network shares for Plex use on Linux . The basic checklist A. Prepare the NAS: B. Create a ‘mount point’ directory structure on your Linux machine which will be where all your media shares are grafted and made available for Plex use. C. Create an entry in /etc/fstab for each share you wish to mount. D. Mount and debug as needed A. Prepare the NAS. This is unique to each NAS. In general, you only need grant read permission. Should you desire Read/Write for yourself, …

[ChuckPa]

To ask one question:

Did you install from the Ubuntu App Store or did you download from Plex.tv/downloads and install it ?

If you installed the SNAP, PMS is running in a walled-off environment.

You are probably like me in that you expect the whole filesystem structure to be available to you as you see it.

I believe, based on your OP, you’ll be better served with the native DEB package

[rolandclouse_gmail_com]

I installed it with the Gui Ubuntu Software app. I just input Plex and it installed it. I never did anything to override running under Plex:Plex. I will try removing it and download and install the .deb.

Chuck, where in PA are you at? I was born and grewup in Reading. Now live in TN.

[ChuckPa]

I live 15 min north of Lancaster now.
I grew up in Wyoming county.
Graduated from Tunkhannock.

Where in TN?
I spent a few years in Clarksville.

[rolandclouse_gmail_com]

Manchester, about 60 miles SE of Nashville.

[rolandclouse_gmail_com]

I uninstalled the snap version and installed the downloaded deb version of 1973. Changed my libraries to plex:plex, and everything seems to work correctly.

I have noticed something strange on both versions. If I try playing live tv on a browser running on the server PC using localhost, it constantly stutters. If I play the same live tv on my Windows PC sitting 2 feet away using either Chrome or the Windows App, there is no stutter.

I tried both Chrome and Firefox, with the same stutter.

[ChuckPa]

If it’s still buffering, Did you check Settings - Server - Transcoder - Show Advanced ?

[rolandclouse_gmail_com]

Changed some transcoder settings today. Will have to try it again. Not a PC now so will try later.

[rolandclouse_gmail_com]

Still need to recheck this. I decided to add a 2nd 1tb drive and put a clean windows 7 install on a small partition before W7 end of support. A small task that is taking the whole weekend and then some.

Fought to get the Win7 DVD to boot, then it would not accept gpt. Finnally got it installing and installing updates. Had 166 updates for the first go around. Got to 50 when I went to bed. This morning PC id dead. Power supply failure. Had a spare PS but it will not fit in the case. Hooked up in back of the case till I get another.

Back to installing updates. 115 to go it said this noon.

Hopefully get back to Plex on Ubuntu sometime this week.