I need to re-install my OS (Win 10 Pro) and am worried about loosing all of Plex’s settings including all of my DVR schedule, the status of where I am in each series we are watching, my library settings…
I have read a few posts about long drawn out nightmares with instructions that imply specific order of restoring the database verses installing the program, I am hoping to avoid this, I have also read the Article “Back Up Main Plex Media Server Data” but after the recent guide service change resulting in MANY lost hours restoring my DVR schedule I want to make this process as painless as possible. My Question…
What advice or instructions can the more experienced Plex users give me, the more details the better.
The simple steps that I take when reinstalling are:
Copy the Plex data folder. I keep this data folder in a different location then the default to make it easy to backup and move to a new machine later. I suggest moving this folder before shutting down the existing server. That way you’ll be certain the registry entry for the data folder is correct.
Backup (i.e. Export) Plex registry key.
Reinstall Windows.
Restore the Plex data folder to the same exact folder you had it on the old machine (something like C:\Plex Media Server).
Re-install Plex
Import Plex registry key
Start Plex server
Everything should be the same as it was before assuming all your data directories are in the same place that they were before.
mbarylski, OttoKerner Thanks for your help, I used your instructions and ALL Went Well!.
In case someone else needs your instructions I am repeating them below with a little more detail added as I had to research some of the tasks.
Copy the Plex data folder. I keep this data folder in a different location than the default to make it easy to backup and move to a new machine later. If your going to move the folder do it before shutting down the existing server. That way you’ll be certain the registry entry for the data folder is correct. Below is how to get to the Plex default installation location
In Windows Explorer (Windows Key+E), enter the following in the address bar at the top: %LOCALAPPDATA%.
Copy the “Plex Media Server” data folder (directory) to a location OTHER than the C drive that can be accessed after the re-installation of windows.
Backup (i.e. Export) the Plex registry key.
Run regedit.exe, Navigate to “HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Plex, Inc.” and then right-click the Plex, Inc. key name and select Export from the popup menu. ALSO save this to a location OTHER than the C drive that can be accessed after the re-installation of windows.
Reinstall Windows.
Restore the Plex data folder to the same exact folder you had it on the previous windows installation, Default location is “C:\Users\YOUR USER NAME\AppData\Local\Plex Media Server”
Import the Plex registry key
Right-click the registry file you created in step 6, and then select the Merge option from the popup menu. This will apply the Plex settings into the registry for this account.
