Not a lot of room in the topic to explain so I will try here. I am giving PMS one more chance to work like it used to and my idea is the redo the Server, I would prefer not to end the original Server until the new one is completed with most metadata finished loading but is that even possible? I want it to run on the same “user” without making new ones. Is there a way to move the Original Registry and other Plex Server operation files & folders to a back up or should /could I copy it to a backup? Even if I had to shutdown my server for a week, that would be fine as long as I can try to get the new server situated clean with all trash emptied after the entire thing is done loading. I have about 12TB worth of media that needs metadata . I upgraded my HDD for size about 6 months ago so I am hoping that even though I perform maintenance often and emptied all trash etc after the moving of files & such. There have been may quirky things and my server never seemed to be the same after that file move. I’d done it the same way for years when I have upgraded so I feel like its probably not the issue but figure reorganizing a New Server could be beneficial too so if there’s any suggestions about how to do it without shutting the original down while I work on the new one, it would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks much - T
you cannot run 2 servers at the same time on the same machine unless they are separated into virtual machines or similar.
the database is the absolute minimum thing you want to back up, everything else can be re-created/re-downloaded. the database has all your watched history etc.
the registry/preferences controls the servers name and unique id, you can clone it, but you should never have multiple servers active with the same id (it will cause confusion and problems with your clients).
the metadata/posters/etc can all be refreshed and redownloaded.
as far as
no idea what ‘works like it used to’ means, but maybe you should try to resolve that instead of starting from scratch unnecessarily.
new thread, more details, exact versions, exact hardware specifics, any supporting information, and logs that capture what your problem is.
Thanks for the input. Is there a way I can move the server to another machine so I can put a new one on the server machine that the server is intended for. I get confused what to call it because my server to me is the one I built with error correcting RAM & a Xeon CPU & Supermicro board so when I try to talk about my physical server & Plex Server that goes on my Server so for this purpose, The “Machine” is the Hardware with Win10 OS. So can I move the original to another pc in my home & then rebuild a new PMS on the Server Machine that has my original? I will get more details on here tomorrow. I have to get some sleep now and really didn’t expect a response this quickly but I am most appreciative for it. I recently have gone from (4) 6TB HDD to (2) 12TB so I was thinking maybe it was too much of moving & condensing,. Some of the issues is like taking forever to load video files TV/Movies etc. when first selected where it used to load nicely within a few seconds. Other things like that. Weird things like my Daughter in The South watches a movie fine yet It wont load for me here where its connected directly to the Home Network. It will say something like "we ran into a problem "and no folders will show. It wont let me play anything thru the server but the Drives and files are accessible via VLC if I wanted and I use that to test if the HDD’s are off for any reason. Things like that, I will think of more tomorrow and try to get some more specifics but to answer the “how it used to run” part, I have been here since the before Plex was an official company and I used PMS on a Laptop when I was learning what to do with it and how to use it locally. I built my own server 8-10 years ago and it has run excellent always except for the few times where it was my error (operator) with a setting change or it would get sluggish a bit about once a month but that told me to just go update the PMS or The Windows Update or both and after that and a restart, all was well. I figured out how to restart my Server from any PC in my home via CMD which made it all easier but lately and for a while, it just seems one glitch after another so I was hoping a fresh Start would help but I will gte that info tomorrow as maybe you’re right, a fix may be better than a whole new start of a PMS. Anyway, goodnight and sorry to bore you and talk your ear off., -T
when you have time, you want may want to review
I believe there are also some threads here with other tips and instructions that users have created to help migrate plex to a different computer.
the simplest manner is to backup/download your current database (which you can do through plex web/settings/troubleshooting), then install plex onto the new computer, and (making sure that plex isn’t running) copy the database backup to the new server.
Hi buddy. Is Cloning different than just moving or is it practically the same?
I understand what both are supposed to mean but if a Clone is an exact replica with all the correct permissions, then that may be best. BTW, Logs intimidate me because though I know some basics, its generally from copying things and not exactly always knowing the why’s.
So I’m thinking I want to give my PMServer a new start & name it differently.
If I move the original to another machine & then make a new one on my Xeno Server, that would probably be best.
I recently cleaned everything and replaced the fans as I put my Server into a New Clean Case. So I’m thinking start fresh.
If I clone it, I figure I can delete it from my Xeno Server after that but still have it as a backup in case of disaster lol. Then the Fresh PMS would be built from scratch.
So my question is, and I apologize because the way my brain works makes me longwinded,
Should I:
- Clone it onto a different machine & then delete the original from Xeno and begin the new one?
- Should I Move it and do the same?
- Is there an option I’m not thinking of?
It seems to me cloning it would ensure I didn’t lose my original in the process. But if it takes much longer to clone than to Move it, I would go with the Move.
As far as databases and having the history of the past server, can that be implanted into the new one after its up and running or that would just mess it up or?
If I can move the database to my new PMServer, can I use the new name and change the name only in the PMS database or that’s too hard or impossible to do?
If I leave the original PM-Server name, would that be better even though I want it to fetch new metadata and such?
With the new Metadata source in Plex, was one of the reasons I was considering redo as well.
If I confused you I apologize because I’ve been known to repeat myself as well.
Any way, any thoughts, let me know.
My GOAL would be to keep my original Server on a different Machine as a Backup of sorts that wouldn’t be in use most of the time and have a rebuilt PMS on my Original Xeno Server that works more fluidly like it used to.
BTW, do I back the PMS up on an External HDD or what?
If you have any suggestions about that, please mention them because I have backed up so many OS’s over the years and every time I needed to use them, they either didn’t work, were to hard to find the disc to use it so I usually would just redo it from scratch so I am good at backing things up, bad at actually using them when needed.
Thanks and Cheers
MOD Edited : Was very hard to read, so took the liberty to insert a few new-lines 
thanks
cloning vs moving
the process is the same.
generally, ‘cloning’ is copying, while leaving the source alone. you end up with 2 copies. like a backup of an entire computer, or file, or whatever.
‘moving’ is generally moving the applicable files from one system to another in some manner, so that there is still only one copy when the move is completed.
if you really want to start clean, then you should simply install PMS on your new/preferred server, and then point it to the same media.
you can have multiple servers on your account, and by starting fresh, your old server is still intact.,
cloning/moving/copying your old server to a new one, is not really starting clean at all.
as I mentioned in my first reply, the easiest thing to do a ‘semi-clean’ clone, is to just copy the old database to the new server.
read through this article, it has all the steps needed, make sure you understand what each step is doing and why.
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