Migrating from Win8/Beta server to Win10/Stable server clean install

[Mythran 0]

Hi everyone,

 

I've been enjoying Emby for a while now, and apart from a few things here and there (including having lost a bunch of watched status on several movies (not all, and not the TV shows) a few updates ago, and the server not restarting itself after updating (which happens everyday with beta)), it's great!

 

I'm currently using 3.1.78.0 beta on Windows 8.1 (with Kodi), and since the free upgrade offer to Windows 10 will expire in three days, I figured I would make the switch to stable at the same time (at least to avoid having to restart it manually every day).

I'd also like to do a clean install since Emby is still installed in the MediaBrowser-Server folder.

 

After a quick search, I saw that trying to copy the server config files over won't work because of the folder structure change, and I would need to let the database be rebuilt.

I store the metadata (including the watched status) in the .nfo files with my media, so is it enough to get my library back in the same state ? What about movie collections (created by Auto Box Sets, so I guess it could automatically recreate them if needed) ?

 

My main questions are:

- any particular issue with switching from beta to stable ?

- is there a way to keep Emby users with a clean install ? Are there files that I could still copy from the old MediaBrowser-Server folder that would work ?

- I use the trakt plugin. Won't all my watched movies and episodes be triggered and marked as watched on trakt again when rebuilding the database from the .nfo files ?

- is there a way to restore those lost movies watched status before reinstalling ?

 

Thanks in advance for your help

[Happy2Play 8216]

This should help How to migrate Emby Server.  As for collection you maybe able to copy the collections fold over to the new build.

 

Side note what is your Metadata path set to?  If it is default I would ensure you copy your People folder from the Metadata folder to your new server also, and possibly other folders (everything except Library and Views) or not and let them rebuild.

[Mythran 0]

I saw here that serioustk was doing the same thing (switching from the old MediaBrowser-Server folder to the new Emby-Server with a clean install and trying to restore files), and that method didn't work (or entirely), so it would mostly be rebuilding the library.

That's why I wondered if there still was something I could transfer from the old install.

 

My Metadata path ? Images and metadata are set to be stored in my media folders if it is what you are asking. I apparently don't have much in the metadata folder, only thumbnails.

 

Any idea about the trakt watched status ? Won't my watched movies and episodes be treated as "newly discovered" or something like that and be set as watched on trakt again ?

Any idea about the lost watched status from a few updates ago ?

 

Thank you for your help

[ebr 14897]

All your people information will be under the metadata path and that was what he was suggesting you move over because that can take a lot of time and resources to re-build.

[Mythran 0]

After taking a good look at it, there sure are many people in there... Now that I think of it, pretty logical considering the amount of movies and tv shows

I didn't think it would take that much time to rebuild it at first, but I'll be sure to move everything I can, thanks

 

So no bad surprises expected with trakt when attempting this type of manoeuvres ? I wouldn't want to have to remove hundreds of views one by one :/

[Mythran 0]

Hey guys,

 

(TL;DR mode in blue)

 

So I made the switch to Windows 10 and from beta to stable. I also figured I would try the portable version just to keep all the files in one place.

I'm logged in my computer as a standard user, not admin, if that matters.

I also kept my media at the same place, same partition letters, and same network shares. The server is running on the same computer as where the media is.

 

This is what I kept from the previous installation (in adminuser\appdata\roaming\mediabrowser-server\):

\config\users\*

\config\system.xml

data\collections\*

data\displaypreferences.db (I think so but not sure)

data\fileorganization.db

data\library.db

data\userdata_v2.db

data\userdata_v2.db-shm

data\users.db

metadata\People\*

metadata\Studio\*

plugins\* (I only have AutoBoxSets and Trakt)

root\* (seems to be my media folders in the default folder)

ssl\* (just in case, but didn't seem necessary)

 

I downloaded the latest stable portable release (3.0.6020), unzipped it and pasted my backed up files in there.

I started the server, my users were there (two), along with my entire library.

I noticed it downloaded the latest beta update, since it kept that from the backed up config, I guess, so I reverted it back to stable releases only, deleted the content from the updates folder, and restarted the server. No new updates downloaded, and it's telling me it's up to date, so I guess it's OK.

I also noticed that it didn't keep my setting for saving watched status in the nfo files, so I chose my user again.

I tried watching a few episodes here and there, and seemed to work correctly.

 

Then I wanted to start the server as a service (it was running at startup as an app before and I wanted to switch to the service). So I unchecked run at startup, saved, shut it down, and started to look for a way to do that since it is the portable version and thought the service was only added when installed. I finally discovered that it was added to the windows services anyway (is it done at first start ?), so I tried to start it but no luck. (Error 1053: The service did not respond to the start or control request in a timely fashion.)

I tried from my standard user session, and from my admin session, I tried setting its start as automatic (normal and delayed) and rebooted a few times, but still nothing.

So I set it back to manual for now and rechecked run at startup, saved, rebooted, and it doesn't seem to start that way either...

Before trying to solve that problem, can it run at startup, as an app or service, in portable mode ?

 

Then I tried rescanning my library just to check if it works, and the progession seemed to be stuck at 0.5% for a while. I let it do its thing, came back to it later and the progress bar was gone. I clicked on scan again, and the scan lasted for only two seconds.

I went to my library only to see that it was empty, only with an empty Collections view...

I went back to the settings, and the folders are still there (with correct path). I tried removing a folder and putting it back, and same by deleting the entire "group" and recreating it, but when I scan the library it still only lasts two seconds, no matter the amount of content in the folders.

I tried stopping the server, removing the root folder, starting the server again and re-adding folders, but it still won't scan (or at least nothing is added).

I guess it has to do with some of the files I kept from the previous install... So what do I get rid of for it to be able to see the contents of my folders ? Can I keep the users (and the according watched status for said user saved in the nfo files) ?

 

Sorry for the long post. Thank you in advance if you take the time to read it

[Luke 36991]

Hi, I think you might have migrated a bit too much. I would suggest either letting our backup plugin handle it for you, or follow this procedure here:

 

http://emby.media/community/index.php?/topic/10427-how-to-migrate-emby-server/

 

Let us know how things go. Thanks.

[Mythran 0]

Hey Luke, thanks for replying

 

That's the procedure I followed, except I was a bit overzealous on the backup side, trying to avoid as much rebuilding as possible, and the fact that I used the portable version, so I didn't really "install" the server.

 

So now I removed any extra files and folders according to the migration procedure except the People and Studios metadata, and my users are still there minus the library folders.

I then added them again, and it seems it's scanning properly this time, and populating the library, with my media and their watched status, not triggering anything on trakt as I feared it could happen

Except the lost watched status for some of the movies from a few updates ago (any news about that ?), it seems OK this time.

Oh and the main "category folders" (in which you set one or several folders/paths) thumbnails are a bit messed up. I guess it may sort itself out...

 

So while I wait for the scan to finish, next previous question: can I auto-start the server (preferably in service mode) with the portable version ? Because it didn't work previously (either way).