Simplest way to move metadata to new computer?

[allan101 3]

Hi guys, not too good at tech and need some help I think.

So 5-6 months ago I got into Emby and after a while got it to finally work the exact way I wanted/expected it to. Put a lot of time to get all the titels right, images, all the sorting. I bought 3 external HDDs to hold all my content.

Now it's come to the point where I am thinking about getting a new PC but one thing holding me back is Emby, I am afraid that when I plug my HDDs into my new computer they will scan all the libraries and try to find the metadata itself, crushing all the work I put into getting things right.

I have tried reading all the backup content on this forum but it gets a bit too complicated for me and I am not too sure if what I want is possible? I have located my programdata folder on the PC I have now but not really sure how it all works. https://emby.media/support/articles/Backup.html

Could someone explain shortly if what I want is possible? To plug the HDDs into my new computer and keep Emby and all the content as it is? Is it easier to use the Server Configuration Backup Plugin? Does that plugin do what I actually want? I am under the impression that the HDD paths will be important? How can I make sure the HDDs on my new PC are the same path as I have on my current PC?

Kind regards

[Abobader 3469]

Hello allan101,

** This is an auto reply **

Please wait for someone from staff support or our members to reply to you.

It's recommended to provide more info, as it explain in this thread:

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Emby Team

[Luke 42083]

Hi, will the library paths be the same, or do you not know yet?

[allan101 3]

8 hours ago, Luke said:

Hi, will the library paths be the same, or do you not know yet?

Thanks for you response, Luke.

As of right now I do not know but as far as I know, it probably won't be, right? Unless I actively do something? It feels like when I plug a USB into my home PC and my work PC, they always get different paths. So I am counting for the same when I switch to my new PC.

Do I understand correctly that if I manage to get the same file paths on both PCs, Emby won't "re-scan" for metadata? 

[Luke 42083]

15 minutes ago, allan101 said:

Thanks for you response, Luke.

As of right now I do not know but as far as I know, it probably won't be, right? Unless I actively do something? It feels like when I plug a USB into my home PC and my work PC, they always get different paths. So I am counting for the same when I switch to my new PC.

Do I understand correctly that if I manage to get the same file paths on both PCs, Emby won't "re-scan" for metadata? 

If they are the same paths, then you can avoid the rescan by taking your entire server data folder from one machine to the next:
Emby Server Data Folder

The backup plugin won't migrate all of that, so I would just do it manually instead. The backup plugin will be updated in the near future to handle quite a few more things.

If they aren't the same paths then currently you can't avoid the rescan, however, we are planning on having dedicated functions in library setup to handle this sort of thing, although I can't say when that will happen.

[allan101 3]

30 minutes ago, Luke said:

If they are the same paths, then you can avoid the rescan by taking your entire server data folder from one machine to the next:
Emby Server Data Folder

The backup plugin won't migrate all of that, so I would just do it manually instead. The backup plugin will be updated in the near future to handle quite a few more things.

If they aren't the same paths then currently you can't avoid the rescan, however, we are planning on having dedicated functions in library setup to handle this sort of thing, although I can't say when that will happen.

Thanks Luke.

May I ask, how do I make sure they are the same paths? 

I'd be over the moon if I could fix that they have the same paths and I just move that file you mentioned to the new PC, that sounds like the ideal solution.

regards

 

[Luke 42083]

1 hour ago, allan101 said:

Thanks Luke.

May I ask, how do I make sure they are the same paths? 

I'd be over the moon if I could fix that they have the same paths and I just move that file you mentioned to the new PC, that sounds like the ideal solution.

regards

 

That’s just about making sure your media is located in the exact same place on the new machine as it was on the old.

[AxeMan 25]

9 hours ago, Luke said:

If they are the same paths, then you can avoid the rescan by taking your entire server data folder from one machine to the next:
Emby Server Data Folder

The backup plugin won't migrate all of that, so I would just do it manually instead. The backup plugin will be updated in the near future to handle quite a few more things.

If they aren't the same paths then currently you can't avoid the rescan, however, we are planning on having dedicated functions in library setup to handle this sort of thing, although I can't say when that will happen.

Safe to assume this will bring over the intro skip metadata also? 

My current emby server is running as a vm, and is struggling w. the Intro Skip. I'm looking at moving to a spare, dedicated machine. Hoping I don't need to have all episodes re-scanned. 

[rbjtech 5284]

21 minutes ago, AxeMan said:

Safe to assume this will bring over the intro skip metadata also? 

My current emby server is running as a vm, and is struggling w. the Intro Skip. I'm looking at moving to a spare, dedicated machine. Hoping I don't need to have all episodes re-scanned. 

If the media is shared, the quickest way I have found (which keeps the database, metadata, intro data etc) intact is to shutdown emby and then ZIP the entire emby folder.

the unzip into your new location. 

If the media locations remain the same (ideally use UNC) then it should just spring into life.    If you do use drive letters/mounts etc then make those changes BEFORE zipping it up and  moving it.   If emby sees the item as 'new' then it will need to re-do all the intro scanning blah blah.

[AxeMan 25]

1 hour ago, rbjtech said:

If the media is shared, the quickest way I have found (which keeps the database, metadata, intro data etc) intact is to shutdown emby and then ZIP the entire emby folder.

the unzip into your new location. 

If the media locations remain the same (ideally use UNC) then it should just spring into life.    If you do use drive letters/mounts etc then make those changes BEFORE zipping it up and  moving it.   If emby sees the item as 'new' then it will need to re-do all the intro scanning blah blah.

Thanks - that's what I'll be doing. Media is on unc path so should be easy enough. 

[Luke 42083]

2 hours ago, AxeMan said:

Safe to assume this will bring over the intro skip metadata also? 

My current emby server is running as a vm, and is struggling w. the Intro Skip. I'm looking at moving to a spare, dedicated machine. Hoping I don't need to have all episodes re-scanned. 

If you just bring the entire data folder over, then yes.