On a QNAP, especially QuTS (where ZFS is strict about permissions), you’ll have those permissions issues.
There is a relatively painless (much less than normal) way to backup the bare minimums
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Create a shared folder, named exactly
PlexData, anywhere you want.
This serves as a placeholder for one entry. -
Restart PMS
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Now open FileStation → PlexData.
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You will see
Plex Media Server. You’re looking at package-internal data which QTS/QuTS normally keeps hidden under QPKG directories.
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Before you stop Plex to make this backup / relocation,
– Settings - Library - Show Advanced
– Turn OFF everything (you don’t want automatic anything or the trash to be emptied)
– When you get to the new system, you don’t want it to delete your metadata before you can update with the new paths to media. -
Now, WITH PLEX STOPPED (the link persists), you need
– Preferences.xml
– The “Databases” directory and its contents (Plex Media Server/Plug-in Support/Databases) -
When on the new system, replace those default files with what you’re bringing
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Start PMS (It will assume the identity (Name and shares) of the OLD QNAP – it is using the same DB/Preferences) … be careful… Don’t power up the old PMS without creating a new Preferences.xml to give it a new ID.
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Now you can start changing the friendly name
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One by one (each library section) follow this How-To to update the media locations (if they’re different) so you retain all the existing metadata.
Here’s the How-To to move the media. (whether changing host or moving the media, the procedure is the same)
The important step is Updating the PMS configuration to point to the new media location(s) correctly.
