Ubuntu - permissions changes to fix to access media files

[landog]

Server Version#: 4.180.0
Player Version#:

Hi folks.

Ive been trolling through this forum - trying to work out the right commands for permissions on my new ubuntu install so that plex can see the media directories.

Going back a step before solving for plex heres the current config:

1. Installed SabNZB, radarr & sonarr - they are running using user = root - i know i should probably change this, but want to get everything working first before i do
2. my username = matt
3. installed plex media server, username = plex
4. added root, plex and matt users to group called media
5. set up my 2nd hard disk (SSD) with owner = matt, and Group = media

Sab, radarr and sonarr are working fine - downloading and storing files on disk = media

Plex up and running fine but when I try and add the directories plex doesnt seem to index the files in movies and tv. I gather its a permissions issue, although I assume that plex gets permission from the group permissions on the media directory?

Help. please

[ChuckPa]

I use Sonarr.

Permissions mask is simple: 755 directory permissions. Permissions are applied as files/directories are created.

You set yourself as owner of the media. The 755/644 resultant permissions allow Plex to work regardless of the group.

PMS minimally needs read permission. That’s it.

[landog]

could I possibly ask you to share the command/s please?

is it:

sudo find /media -type d -exec chmod 755 {} ;

sudo find /media -type f -exec chmod 644 {} ;

How does that apply then to the user: plex

[ChuckPa]

Here’s the actual settings in Sonarr.

As Sonarr imports, directories get 755, files get 644, which is exactly what you want.

The find / chmod command you show is correct.
The chown should be such that your UID owns the files.
This results in plex having Read-only access to the media every time.

One problem you do have is the /media directory.
If this is a HDD mounted by the automounter, Plex will NOT have any access.
Automounts are exclusive to your user id.

You must mount somewhere else to avoid conflict.

This is the documentation I wrote

Linux Tips

Using other hard drives (Windows or Linux) with PMS This How-To is written to help with Internal and External drives. It also is written to demonstrate how to cope with NTFS and EXT4 formatted drives. By logical extension, any format supported by Linux can be handled using the technique shown here. In all cases, the goal is to give user plex permission to read your media files which Linux doesn’t allow by default due to its strict security model. We will walk through the steps needed …

[landog]

@ChuckPa

One problem you do have is the /media directory.
If this is a HDD mounted by the automounter, Plex will NOT have any access.
Automounts are exclusive to your user id.

boom this must be the issue (that I didnt realise was a thing!) thanks Ill work through this and revert

[landog]

Half way through and im a wee bit confused.

df:

matt@LANDOGNUC:/$ df
Filesystem 1K-blocks Used Available Use% Mounted on
tmpfs 1624224 2024 1622200 1% /run
/dev/sda2 490617784 15076964 450545340 4% /
tmpfs 8121120 8 8121112 1% /dev/shm
tmpfs 5120 4 5116 1% /run/lock
/dev/sda1 523244 14604 508640 3% /boot/efi
tmpfs 1624224 128 1624096 1% /run/user/1000
/dev/sdb1 1921724608 13343036 1810689516 1% /media/matt/Media

Ive done the mkdir, verified permissions:

drwxr-xr-x 3 matt matt 4096 Nov 26 13:37 .
drwxr-xr-x 21 root root 4096 Nov 26 13:37 …
drwxr-xr-x 2 matt matt 4096 Nov 26 13:37 Media2

about to edit fstab, question:

am i only making an entry here for the dev/sdb1 (where the media is maintained), or

Am I supposed to also make an entry for the main HD where ubuntu is installed as well?

[ChuckPa]

I have some media files under /sata (SATA SSD in the NUC)

# SATA
/dev/sda1              /sata                  xfs     defaults,auto,noatime    0   3

The cheat-sheet rules are:

1. mkdir
2. chown
3. chmod
4. edit /etc/fstab
5. mount /mount_dir (confirms the mount point & fstab entry are valid)
6. ls -la /mount_dir
7. If perms need setting (in the file system) set them here

Note: You set perms on the base dir (before mount) and then in the file system after mount. That’s the trick

[landog]

exactly my config (i.e. SSD in a NUC).

The NUC has 2 SSD drives - one 500GB one where ubuntu is installed and one 2TB one (the media storage SSD)

So yep im at step 4 in your list - im just asking (sorry im a noob) i only need to add an entry in fstab for the 2 TB media drive right? not the main ubuntu drive?

incidentally the main media storage drive is /dev/sdb1 1921724608 13343036 1810689516 1% /media/matt/Media

update

i pushed on and added both SSD’s but coudnt mount the SSD with unbuntu installed as it was already mounted. so I commented it out for now.

heres what fstab looks like:

Addtions for external and internal drives

Mount Media2 (ext4) at /disks/media2 for Plex

UUID=a249f0c8-3473-4da1-8117-2e5e82a04a70 /disks/Media2 ext4 defaults,auto,rw,nofail 0 1

Mount /dev/sda2 directly READ-ONLY, and use the device name because it will never change

/dev/sda2 /disks/c ext4 defaults,auto,ro,nofail 0 1

ive since done the permissions set, added the libraries for tv and movies in plex by navigating to Media2 directory and all is working.

So I wanted to thank you, oh and also check that I havent done anything silly in fstab?

Cheers youve saved my life!

[ChuckPa]

@landog

/media/matt/Media

You got it!

Don’t you just LOVE Nautilus?

You can change the /disks mount point to ANYTHING you want.
You can see I used /sata .

You’re free to use anything which doesn’t conflict / already reserved.