# PMS Migration - Linux **URL:** \ **Category:** General Discussions\ **Tags:** server-linux\ **Created:** [January 15, 2021, 4:09am UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/pms-migration-linux/678445 "2021-01-15T04:09:17Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![supreme\_mysupreme\_net](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bcef8e/32.png) [@supreme\_mysupreme\_net](https://forums.plex.tv/u/supreme_mysupreme_net)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2021, 4:09am UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/pms-migration-linux/678445/1 "2021-01-15T04:09:18Z")
Hey guys , pretty noobish question , but never needed to , ive outgrown my plex server and need to migrate to a More powerful server, had a Ridiculous library very large don’t want to start my new server from scratch having to re-do all meta data and library’s ect, how can i export all of plex from Ubuntu 18.04 lts , i will then be re-importing to ubuntu 18.04 lts , ive been looking on forums and videos “YouTube” but can only find windows migrations no Linux sadly , help would be massively appreciated ---
**Author:** ![ChuckPa](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/plex/user_avatar/forums.plex.tv/chuckpa/32/79710_2.png) [@ChuckPa](https://forums.plex.tv/u/ChuckPa)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2021, 4:38am UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/pms-migration-linux/678445/2 "2021-01-15T04:38:08Z")
It’s going to be hysterically simple: 1. Replicate the `/etc/fstab` media mounts from the first on the second. 2. Install Plex ( plex.tv/downloads ) but don’t open it. This creates the user , services, and directory. 3. Stop Plex. (fresh installs automatically start 4. Go to the original system 5. Stop Plex 6. cd /var/lib/plexmediaserver 7. `sudo tar cf /path/to/somewhere/PlexClone.tar ./Library` 8. When it finishes, take it to the new system. 9. Decommission the original (delete Preferences.xml at absolute minimum) On the new. 1. Verify user `plex:plex` (or ‘other’) can read the media 2. `cd /var/lib/plexmediaserver` 3. `sudo mv Library Library.unused` 4. `sudo tar xf /path/to/PlexClone.tar` (the file you brought over from the original) 5. `sudo chown -R plex:plex ./Library` 6. `sudo rm -rf Library.unused` (you don’t need it now) If you’ve got all the mounts and permissions correct, `sudo systemctl start plexmediaserver` It will spin up and resume as if nothing ever happened. ---
**Author:** ![supreme\_mysupreme\_net](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bcef8e/32.png) [@supreme\_mysupreme\_net](https://forums.plex.tv/u/supreme_mysupreme_net)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2021, 4:40am UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/pms-migration-linux/678445/3 "2021-01-15T04:40:39Z")
@ChuckPa thanks ill give it a go hopefully it works sorry for the noobish question just a matter of copy and paste from your commands? ---
**Author:** ![supreme\_mysupreme\_net](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bcef8e/32.png) [@supreme\_mysupreme\_net](https://forums.plex.tv/u/supreme_mysupreme_net)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2021, 4:42am UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/pms-migration-linux/678445/4 "2021-01-15T04:42:27Z")
thanks for them detailed commands ---
**Author:** ![ChuckPa](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/plex/user_avatar/forums.plex.tv/chuckpa/32/79710_2.png) [@ChuckPa](https://forums.plex.tv/u/ChuckPa)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2021, 5:28am UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/pms-migration-linux/678445/5 "2021-01-15T05:28:10Z")
Pretty much just a copy/paste. (except for where the PlexClone.tar file is going to be written) While copy/paste is the easy way… May I recommend you understand what each is doing so next time you can think your way through it? hint: `man command` (e.g. `man tar` – to see all the documentation about `tar`) We’re here to help with Plex on Linux but there aren’t enough hours to teach linux nor are we staffed for it. ---
**Author:** ![supreme\_mysupreme\_net](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bcef8e/32.png) [@supreme\_mysupreme\_net](https://forums.plex.tv/u/supreme_mysupreme_net)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2021, 11:57pm UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/pms-migration-linux/678445/6 "2021-01-16T23:57:27Z")
haha of course plexclone wont exsist im not that bad at linux lol ---
**Author:** ![supreme\_mysupreme\_net](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bcef8e/32.png) [@supreme\_mysupreme\_net](https://forums.plex.tv/u/supreme_mysupreme_net)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2021, 3:07am UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/pms-migration-linux/678445/7 "2021-01-17T03:07:28Z")
damm its giving a error > **[Screenshot](https://prnt.sc/wye1mj)** > > Captured with Lightshot ---
**Author:** ![supreme\_mysupreme\_net](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bcef8e/32.png) [@supreme\_mysupreme\_net](https://forums.plex.tv/u/supreme_mysupreme_net)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2021, 3:08am UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/pms-migration-linux/678445/8 "2021-01-17T03:08:44Z")
my paths normal? > **[Screenshot](https://prnt.sc/wye4w4)** > > Captured with Lightshot @ChuckPa ---
**Author:** ![ChuckPa](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/plex/user_avatar/forums.plex.tv/chuckpa/32/79710_2.png) [@ChuckPa](https://forums.plex.tv/u/ChuckPa)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2021, 4:18am UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/pms-migration-linux/678445/9 "2021-01-17T04:18:57Z")
You can copy/paste text here. It’s a lot easier to read that way. This is what you should have when done ```auto [chuck@lizum plexmediaserver.587]$ ls -la total 16 drwxr-xr-x 4 plex plex 4096 Jan 16 23:16 ./ drwxr-xr-x 77 root root 4096 Dec 15 22:17 ../ drwxr-xr-x 3 plex plex 4096 Dec 1 09:15 Library/ drwxr-xr-x 2 plex plex 4096 Jan 16 23:16 Library.unused/ [chuck@lizum plexmediaserver.588]$ ll Library total 12 drwxr-xr-x 3 plex plex 4096 Dec 1 09:15 ./ drwxr-xr-x 4 plex plex 4096 Jan 16 23:16 ../ drwxr-xr-x 3 plex plex 4096 Dec 1 09:15 Application Support/ [chuck@lizum plexmediaserver.589]$ ``` Notice threre is the `Library.unused` which is what the installer created. We don’t use this. When extracting the `.tar` file, `tar xf /path/to/PlexClone.tar`, it will create `Library` for you and populate it with everything from the old system. ---
**Author:** ![supreme\_mysupreme\_net](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bcef8e/32.png) [@supreme\_mysupreme\_net](https://forums.plex.tv/u/supreme_mysupreme_net)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2021, 4:23am UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/pms-migration-linux/678445/10 "2021-01-17T04:23:11Z")
didnt get any of that ☹ ---
**Author:** ![supreme\_mysupreme\_net](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bcef8e/32.png) [@supreme\_mysupreme\_net](https://forums.plex.tv/u/supreme_mysupreme_net)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2021, 4:23am UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/pms-migration-linux/678445/11 "2021-01-17T04:23:26Z")
it didnt even backup ---
**Author:** ![ChuckPa](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/plex/user_avatar/forums.plex.tv/chuckpa/32/79710_2.png) [@ChuckPa](https://forums.plex.tv/u/ChuckPa)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2021, 4:25am UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/pms-migration-linux/678445/12 "2021-01-17T04:25:16Z")
You didn’t follow my instructions? > [@ChuckPa](#): > > 1. Replicate the `/etc/fstab` media mounts from the first on the second. > 2. Install Plex ( plex.tv/downloads ) but don’t open it. This creates the user , services, and directory. > 3. Stop Plex. (fresh installs automatically start > 4. Go to the original system > 5. Stop Plex > 6. cd /var/lib/plexmediaserver > 7. `sudo tar cf /path/to/somewhere/PlexClone.tar ./Library` > 8. When it finishes, take it to the new system. > 9. Decommission the original (delete Preferences.xml at absolute minimum) Steps 6 & 7 are the two key steps for capturing the “source” system data files to take to the new system. ---
**Author:** ![supreme\_mysupreme\_net](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bcef8e/32.png) [@supreme\_mysupreme\_net](https://forums.plex.tv/u/supreme_mysupreme_net)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2021, 4:30am UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/pms-migration-linux/678445/13 "2021-01-17T04:30:37Z")
![image](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/plex/original/3X/b/0/b02308e7e1e90359f895672057891c143f97389c.png) got this , but i had a tar file from july which is over 50gb so dont really understand why this is so low ![image](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/plex/original/3X/0/c/0ceb6198360cd418c5f28a46c6eaac6f2657e963.png) ---
**Author:** ![supreme\_mysupreme\_net](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bcef8e/32.png) [@supreme\_mysupreme\_net](https://forums.plex.tv/u/supreme_mysupreme_net)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2021, 4:37am UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/pms-migration-linux/678445/14 "2021-01-17T04:37:03Z")
@ChuckPa what do you reckon ---
**Author:** ![supreme\_mysupreme\_net](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bcef8e/32.png) [@supreme\_mysupreme\_net](https://forums.plex.tv/u/supreme_mysupreme_net)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2021, 4:39am UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/pms-migration-linux/678445/15 "2021-01-17T04:39:24Z")
@ChuckPa was created instantly is this normal? i was expecting it to take a while and be a much larger file ---
**Author:** ![ChuckPa](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/plex/user_avatar/forums.plex.tv/chuckpa/32/79710_2.png) [@ChuckPa](https://forums.plex.tv/u/ChuckPa)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2021, 4:42am UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/pms-migration-linux/678445/16 "2021-01-17T04:42:17Z")
There’s a HUGE difference between those two. 5 MB tar file is indeed nearly instantaneous. Did you create that tar file on the system you’re copying FROM ? ---
**Author:** ![supreme\_mysupreme\_net](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bcef8e/32.png) [@supreme\_mysupreme\_net](https://forums.plex.tv/u/supreme_mysupreme_net)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2021, 4:45am UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/pms-migration-linux/678445/17 "2021-01-17T04:45:07Z")
hi @ChuckPa i created it on the original system yes ---
**Author:** ![ChuckPa](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/plex/user_avatar/forums.plex.tv/chuckpa/32/79710_2.png) [@ChuckPa](https://forums.plex.tv/u/ChuckPa)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2021, 4:46am UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/pms-migration-linux/678445/18 "2021-01-17T04:46:20Z")
How are you creating it? The screenshots you’re showing look like you’re using a windows tool? Is that correct? Everything I’m giving you should be done on the Linux “Terminal” command line. How skilled are you with Linux? ---
**Author:** ![supreme\_mysupreme\_net](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bcef8e/32.png) [@supreme\_mysupreme\_net](https://forums.plex.tv/u/supreme_mysupreme_net)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2021, 4:47am UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/pms-migration-linux/678445/19 "2021-01-17T04:47:06Z")
that screenshot was so i could see the size of the File in Filezilla , everything else is done in linux ---
**Author:** ![ChuckPa](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/plex/user_avatar/forums.plex.tv/chuckpa/32/79710_2.png) [@ChuckPa](https://forums.plex.tv/u/ChuckPa)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2021, 4:52am UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/pms-migration-linux/678445/20 "2021-01-17T04:52:20Z")
The `ls` command will show you everything. ```auto [chuck@lizum ~.592]$ ls -la *.tar -rw-r--r--. 1 chuck chuck 276480 Jun 16 2019 Debian-Packaging-files.tar -rw-r--r--. 1 chuck chuck 92160 Aug 9 2019 debian.tar -rw-r--r-- 1 chuck chuck 24084480 Feb 23 2020 DOT-filebot.tar -rw-r--r--. 1 chuck chuck 460800 Feb 1 2018 redhat-ci.tar [chuck@lizum ~.593]$ ls -lah *tar -rw-r--r--. 1 chuck chuck 270K Jun 16 2019 Debian-Packaging-files.tar -rw-r--r--. 1 chuck chuck 90K Aug 9 2019 debian.tar -rw-r--r-- 1 chuck chuck 23M Feb 23 2020 DOT-filebot.tar -rw-r--r--. 1 chuck chuck 450K Feb 1 2018 redhat-ci.tar [chuck@lizum ~.594]$ ``` [Next page](https://forums.plex.tv/t/pms-migration-linux/678445.md?page=2)