Re-installing after upgrading hard drives

[Madbeefer]

I currently run PMS on my QNAP. I have reached the point where I can no longer add drives to increase my storage pool. I plan on backing up all my data to external devices and then copying it back onto the QNAP after the new drives are installed.

My question is what files do I need to copy from PMS to keep my databases intact once I am done?

Server Version#:
Player Version#:

[ChuckPa]

1. Install PMSLibShare https://github.com/ukdtom/PMSLibShare/releases/tag/1.0
   (The PlexData share - which will replace PMSLibShare is coming in PMS 1.19.5)

2. Stop PMS

3. Open FileStation

4. Navigate into PMSLibShare

5. Make a ZIP of everything in one ZIP file.

When you restore,

1. Install PMS
2. Run for a minute
3. Stop
4. Reinstall PMSLibShare (for the access
5. Open again in File Station
6. UNZIP the backup you previously made over the top (be careful to align properly)

[Madbeefer]

I didn’t see any PMSLibShare directory once I did that, but I see a \Plex\Plex Media Server\ Directory with a bunch of sub directories… Cache, Codecs, Crash Reports, Diagnostics, Logs, Media, Metadata, Plug-in Support, Plug-ins, and Thumbails. Is that what I want?

[ChuckPa]

You should be able to open File Station,
On one of your volumes (whichever PMS is installed on), you should find the PlexData share.

To backup:

1. Stop Plex
2. Open File Station
3. go into PlexData
4. go into Plex Media Server
5. select everything and make a ZIP
6. That ZIP file is your backup. Move it somewhere safe.

To restore.

1. In PlexData, you see “Plex Media Server”.
2. Yes, when you click it, you see all the other subdirectories and files.
3. With PMS stopped, this is where you delete all that PMS wrote in there (it’s not going to be used).
4. You then UNZIP your backup into there so it looks exactly as it initially did.

(you know it’s correct if you see “Preferences.xml” after you’re done unzipping)