Problems migrating Plex library from Synology to FreeNAS

[NJMorf]

Hi all.

I've got a newly built FreeNAS system (details in my sig) onto which I'm trying to migrate my existing Plex library, currently held on a Synology DS216j. I'm having problems getting the new Plex server to run after I overwrite its settings with the old data. I've got a question on the Plex forums which hasn't received any love yet, and I haven't been able to find anything on this forum that seems similar enough to my situation so I thought I'd ask.

Synology NAS is running Plex 1.13.5.5291.

First attempt: installed PMS from the plugins list, verified that it was working (accessed the web page successfully), then followed the instructions for locating the data directory and moving an installation. I'd shut down the server on FreeNAS before trying to copy the data, of course. Unfortunately, after copying the data, I couldn't restart the server from the plugins page, even after restarting the server.

I thought that this might be due to a version mismatch between that on the Synology and that in FreeNAS (1.12.2.4929) but I couldn't find a way to update the FreeNAS version (and based on what I've since read, I don't think it's possible to update a plugin until the team responsible release a new version).

Second attempt: manually created a jail, updated the pkgng database using "pkg update -f" and installed Plex using the CLI command "pkg install plexmediaserver" - version 1.13.4.4271 at the time of writing. I confirmed that the web page was again available, then stopped the service and copied the data into "/usr/local/plexdata/Plex Media Server", overwriting the existing files if any. When I tried to restart the server via CLI, it failed with a message "WARNING: failed to start plexmediaserver".

I don't think that this is a permissions issue with regard to the data files I've copied across, because I've edited the permissions on the Plex data set to allow all of owner/group/guest full access, applied after copying the data and recursively.

Has anyone been able to successfully migrate from Synology to FreeNAS? Have I been doing something wrong?

Thanks in advance.

 

[sretalla]

Because you're moving platforms (linux to unix), I understand that it's potentially not going to work.

The differences between the linux and unix versions may not be as significant as between Windows or Mac and unix, but unless you have a bunch of time to throw at working on each setting until you get it to work, you're probably better off just rebuilding your library.

Alternatively, you will probably have a better experience using docker on FreeNAS to run plex (although you will hit the storage access issue there and need to effectively connect to it from the docker instance as if you're on another box, using SMB or NFS), since this will be linux and most probably your copied config would just work straight up.

 

[Jailer]

Alternatively, you will probably have a better experience using docker on FreeNAS to run plex

You will likely find a lot of users on this forum that would disagree with that statement, myself included.

 

[sretalla]

You will likely find a lot of users on this forum that would disagree with that statement, myself included.

Don't get me wrong... I run my plex in an iocage jail as I think should be done by everyone wanting the best out of their FreeNAS setup.

The OP wants to migrate settings, so that's the better experience I was referring to.

 

[NJMorf]

Hmm, both Docker and iocage sound like more work than this FreeNAS noob wants right now. I'm currently letting the FreeNAS version build itself a library from scratch: if no-one on the Plex forums is able to offer a solution, I guess I'm just going to have to put all the settings, posters, watch history and planned recordings back in by hand. Again. I had to do that back when I transferred the original DB from Win7 to the Synology (though that was a year ago, and I thought I'd done it more recently than that).

Oh, well. Thanks anyway. I'll leave the thread unsolved for a while in case anyone has any other suggestions.

 

[nojohnny101]

What files are you exactly moving? You should just move the plex db file, not the whole directory. That might inadvertently replace other files that have to do with the installation. I'm not 100% positive because I'm just guessing what you are referring to but could you specify what you are moving from the Synology side?

 

[NJMorf]

I'm following the instructions here, which say "make a copy of the content in the directory listed below for your operating system". There's a link on that page leading to locations for multiple devices and for a Synology NAS it lists "/Volume1/Plex/Library/Application Support/Plex Media Server/". The instructions do not tell you to partially replace the contents: they say "Using the copy of the content you previously made, place it in the location specified for your operating system", so I've done just that.

I mainly want to preserve the metadata and planned recordings, as I've changed a significant number of names and poster images and I don't want to have to reprogram all of the upcoming recordings. If I can save the watch history as well I'll consider it a bonus.

Edit: the instructions on the Plex forums also say "You’ll need to replace any of the existing files and subdirectories that will be there from the installation you performed earlier".

 

[nojohnny101]

Hmm, I looked a bit more info it, and you're correct, usually ones copies over the whole folder "Plex Media Server". Sorry I wish I had more ideas. Did you try updating the old installation or have you already blown that away? If you do still have the old installation that created the database files, then you could try upgrading before trying to copy those files to the new installation.

 

[NJMorf]

No, I gave up on it. Needed the disks from the Synology for the new system, so I'll just have to manually fix what I can and live with it.