Ubuntu docker library empty

[JavorHM 1]

Hello.

I'm new to Emby server and yesterday I decided to try it for the first time. Here's my setup:

OS: Ubuntu server 25.04 x86_64
Kernel: 6.14.0-27-generic
Docker version: 28.3.0, build 38b7060
Emby server image: emby/embyserver:latest
Storage: external HDD /dev/sda2, mounted to /media/extHDD
Emby Library path: /media/extHDD/Movies (this is where movie media is stored)
Clients used to access emby: Chrome browser (under Windows) and Emby apk (for Android)
Docker compose command to run the container: docker-compose -f emby.yaml up -d
Docker command to run the container: docker run -d --name embyserver --volume /path/to/programdata:/config --volume /path/to/share1:/media/extHDD/Movies --net=host --device /dev/dri:/dev/dri --publish 8096:8096 --publish 8920:8920 --env UID=1000 --env GID=100 --env GIDLIST=100 --restart on-failure emby/embyserver:latest

the emby.yaml file itself:

services:
  emby:
    image: emby/embyserver
    container_name: embyserver
    # runtime: nvidia # Expose NVIDIA GPUs
    network_mode: host # Enable DLNA and Wake-on-Lan
    environment:
      - UID=1000 # The UID to run emby as (default: 2)
      - GID=100 # The GID to run emby as (default 2)
      - GIDLIST=100 # A comma-separated list of additional GIDs to run emby as (default: 2)
    volumes:
      - /path/to/programdata:/config # Configuration directory
      - /path/to/tvshows:/mnt/share1 # Media directory
      - /path/to/movies:/media/extHDD/Movies # Media directory
    ports:
      - 8096:8096 # HTTP port
      - 8920:8920 # HTTPS port
    restart: on-failure

rights for Movie folder:

drwxr-xr-x 1 root root 98304 Apr 21 17:44  Movies

rights for folders inside /media/extHDD/Movies:

drwxr-xr-x 1 root root        4096 Jan 29  2024 *****
drwxr-xr-x 1 root root        4096 Apr 21 14:25 *****
drwxr-xr-x 1 root root        4096 Apr 21 15:11 *****
drwxr-xr-x 1 root root        4096 Oct 15  2024 *****
-rwxr-xr-x 1 root root  2141956170 Nov  4  2024 *****
drwxr-xr-x 1 root root        4096 Oct 30  2024 *****
...

Attached are files before and after Library scan operation.

What I noticed is that when I click the "Scan Library Files" button, the operation returns instantly, but when I click the three dots on my library and then "Scan Library Files" menu, a toast appears for about several seconds and then disappears. No matter which operation I perform, the library remains empty.

I tried to run the image with both docker-compose and docker run, result is the same.

I read the available topics and suggestions regarding my problem, tried removing and adding a new library, nothing helped so far.

Regards,

Javor

P.S. Sorry for the quite long post, I wanted to be as clear as possible for easier problem solving.

embyserver (1).txt embyserver.txt

[Neminem 1518]

Ok you have not setup your docker right.

Notice the /path/to/ needs to be set.

So basically

- /filepath/outside/docker:/filepath/inside/docker

Her is yours.

volumes:

- /path/to/programdata:/config # Configuration directory

- /path/to/tvshows:/mnt/share1 # Media directory

- /path/to/movies:/media/extHDD/Movies # Media directory

Here is what I do.

 

volumes:

- /mnt/appdata/embyserver:/config # Configuration directory

- /mnt/tvshows:/mnt/tvshow # Media directory

- /mnt/movies:/mnt/Movies # Media directory

 

Volumes | Docker Docs

Edited August 12, 2025 by Neminem

[JavorHM 1]

Of course, you're right. I completely forgot to expose the external paths to docker.

Thank you very much!