Synology DSM 7

[Landlubber]

Server Version#:
Player Version#:

About an hour ago, I updated my Synology NAS from DSM 6 to DSM 7 and then downloaded and installed the appropriate PMS from Plex’s webpage.

Now, when I log out of Plex and sign back in, Plex sees two NASs with the same name, but neither NAS has a library. Also, I now have two shared Plex folders on my NAS: (1) Plex; and (2) PlexMediaServer. Both have the correct permissions. When I checked the Authorized Devices, I found a NAS with DSM 6, but not with DSM 7.

I’d appreciate any suggestions you can offer. Thanks.

[ChuckPa]

If you have two entries that means your existing server did not upgrade / migrate to DSM 7.

When you upgraded DSM 6 → DSM 7, did you click the “Repair” button before installing from Plex.tv/downloads ?

I ask because the behavior you are describing is the typical outcome of a “Repair” (which the “Beta” app Synology provides cannot handle . That’s why it’s no longer compatible)

[Landlubber]

Hi, Chuck,

Yes, the NAS suggested repairing one of the Apps, which probably was the Plex app. Later, I downloaded PMS from the webpage.

Am I screwed? Do I have to try to move back to DSM 6?

I have everything backed up on a second NAS. What if I copy the Plex files from that NAS to my regular NAS? Thanks.

[ChuckPa]

Not screwed. Just a bigger mess to clean up.

1. Uninstall the app – ERASE option (cleans out what Repair did)
2. In Plex/Web - Settings - Authorized Devices - Server (dropdown)

• REMOVE the newly created and empty server – the unwanted duplicate.

3. Now confirm PlexMediaServer shared folder is empty (nothing under AppData)

4. Lastly, Install the package again, NORMAL install option.

5. It’ll start barking about setting Shared Folder permissions – this is exactly what we expect. Follow it precisely.

6. When the installer sees all the permissions are right, it will perform the migration from DSM 6 layout to DSM 7 layout and process all the files which need correcting.

7. Expect it to take about 3 minutes for each 1000 items you have Indexed (5000 movies/episodes total = 10-15 minutes)

8. When it’s done, it will tell you.

9. Don’t forget to set the shared folder permissions for the new username “PlexMediaServer” (System internal user - not a Local User)

[Landlubber]

When I have done all of that, will Plex be able to find all of the metadata I have associated with my movie and TV show files, or will I have to redo all of that again? Thanks.

[ChuckPa]

It will take all that you have done and in existence (which still resides in the “Plex” shared folder) and have restructured it for DSM 7 – which lives in the new “PlexMediaServer” shared folder under the new rules of DSM 7.

[ChuckPa]

Here are the two forum articles which describe everything.

1. This is the initial release

DSM 7 - Plex Media Server - Release Info & Migration instructions

Plex Media Server for Synology DSM 7 - Release This document is to share changes made with DSM 7 and resolve any unforeseen issues before you attempt migrating to DSM 7 for Plex use YOU ARE URGED TO READ THIS THREAD COMPLETELY BEFORE PROCEEDING OR ASKING QUESTIONS DO NOT INSTALL Synology BETA software UNLESS INSTRUCTED. This thread is a LIVING document. Expect it to change. Synology’s DiskStation Manager (DSM) has undergone significant changes in version 7.0. Many of those changes affected …

2. This is the final-form update (after DSM 7 finalized) which is being used.

DSM 7 - Finalized Configuration (PMS 1.24.2.4973) - Release information

DSM 7 - Finalized Configuration (Packaging 2.0) - Release Information See below for updates Since DSM 7.0-41890 finalized, I’ve had time to digest everyone’s input as well as review what we ultimately ended up with in DSM 7.0 Looking at all the issues faced, there was one overriding problem which could not be solved – Plex’s data was not accessible from the GUI or other Synology tools such as Hyper Backup. An important issue for most was the data area could not be moved. It took some t…

[Landlubber]

I’m going to read those releases next. As mentioned before, the only NAS shown in the Authorized Devices section is the one with DSM 6, so I cannot delete the latest one (unless that one somehow became the latest one.

After erasing Plex from the server, I have the following items to show you:

[Landlubber]

Hi, Chuck,

That sounds like good news.

I have been trying to “authorize” my backup NAS as a Plex device, but can’t recall how I authorized my primary NAS years ago. Worse, I cannot find anything in the support articles that says how to do that. Part of the problem might be that Safari won’t let me open the webpage using the NAS’s IP address plus 32400/web. One thing I did notice is that the Plex shared folder on the backup NAS has only 3 users with permission, and Plex is not among them. I thought my NAS-to-NAS backups included all things Plex.

[ChuckPa]

I’m not worried about the MacOSX entry for now. We’re focusing on the Synology.

Please confirm for me the following in order , Let me know if there are any exceptions.

1. You have Plex / Library / Application Support / Plex Media Server
2. Under Plex Media Server you have Preferences.xml
3. Under Plex Media Server you have the following:

• Metadata
• Media
• Plug-ins
• Plug-in Support

4. Under Plug-in Support / Databases you have com.plexapp.plugins.library.db (and some backups) along with a few “blob” db files.

If this is all intact, we’re ready to go.

I’ve built a mechanism into DSM 7 packaging to handle signing in for you.
It’s quite sophisticated now compared to what it was.
The package also supports 8 diffferent languages in the GUI

[Landlubber]

Good morning, Chuck,

You are far more sophisticated than I am regarding Plex, computers, etc. Here are some screenshots that I hope will answer your questions about my system:

Under PlexMediaServer, I do not see anything labeled “Media.” FYI, I have media files, but they are not located under Plex or PlexMediaServer.

Thanks.

P.S. Plex now sees my NAS, but my libraries are empty.

Should all of these boxes be checked?

[ChuckPa]

@Landlubber

You did it again, You keep looking at “PlexMediaServer” . This is unimportant.

The “Plex” Shared folder only, please …

Please confirm for me the following in order , Let me know if there are any exceptions.

1. Open Plex/ Library/ Application Support/ Plex Media Server
2. Confirm you see -

• Preferences.xml
• Metadata
• Media
• Plug-ins
• Plug-in Support

4. Navigating deeper into Plug-in Support/Databases , confirm you have com.plexapp.plugins.library.db (and some backups) along with a few “blob” db files.

[Landlubber]

Hi, Chuck,

To clarify, I just took those screenshots to show you what I found in the hope that you will understand what it all means.

As shown in one of those screenshots, PlexMediaServer has everything you listed except Metadata. Are you sure my metadata wasn’t erased when I uninstalled the latest Plex upgrade using the Erase option?

[ChuckPa]

@Landlubber

My goal is to migrate your existing DSM 6 data – IF it still exists.

This is why I keep asking about the DSM 6 “Plex” share.

Only after I know what’s in the “Plex” shared folder can I tell if the contents of “PlexMediaServer” represents a rogue or real server instance.

[Landlubber]

Is this what you need?

[ChuckPa]

That’s it!!!

Here we go:

1. Uninstall the Plex package – ERASE option ( I believe you have done this )

2. Delete shared folder “PlexMediaServer”

Now, to manually assign permissions for migration to work, we will set them using File Station

1. File Station

2. From the left panel - Right-click “Plex” → Properties → Permission tab

3. Click “Create” to add permission for “PlexMediaServer” (it will be in the scroll down list. Check the box as shown.
   

   

4. Click the mouse again in another part of that window so “PlexMediaServer” now shows in the top window.

5. Check ALL the boxes for the permissions. This is “Full Control”
   

   

6. Click “Done” to close the permission selection window

7. Check the box “Apply to this folder, sub-folders, and files” in the permissions window

8. Click SAVE to apply permissions to the entire “Plex” shared folder. (DSM 7 installation will need these permissions to do its work).

9. When complete,

10. “Manual Install”, Normal Installation, click through until it starts.

11. Now it will sit there at ‘Installing’ until it finishes migrating.

12. By opening another tab/session to DSM, you can monitor its progress by looking at “Plex/Migration.log”

[Landlubber]

Thanks. I’ll get back to you again when I’m finished.

[Landlubber]

Hi, Chuck,

I thought we were out of the woods at last, but now the libraries are causing a problem. My movies are stored in “volume1/Media Files/Movies”, and my television shows are stored in “volume1/Media Files/TV Shows”.

When I try to add a library, Plex lets me click on “volume1” and then click on “Media Files” but does not continue searching for “Movies” or “TV Shows”. I can add those terms manually, but Plex is not seeing the files. Strangely enough, Plex still sees my Collection folders.

[ChuckPa]

@Landlubber

Now you add permissions to the Shared Folders for System Internal User PlexMediaServer to read your media.

This is what the final “Installation Successful!” mesage instructed you to do.
It also provides the instructions how to accomplish this.

It looks like this

[Landlubber]

Hi, Chuck,

The only thing I have changed since receiving your last email is in the Plex shared folder where I unchecked Custom and checked Read/Write. I already had checked Read/Write in the PlexMediaServer shared file, unless Plex did that for me. When those instructions you sent refer to “shares,” do they mean the items in these lists under “System internal user” or to the Shared folders? If the former, do you want me to deny access to all of the other items in the list, such as “Anonymous” or is leaving the other boxes blank the equivalent of No Access? At the moment, they seem to be denied access.

Thanks.