Can't Install Emby

[Guest]

I had Emby years ago and it worked fine. Now I can't even install it on the exact same computer it was on before because it can't download the setup files. I searched and found others with the exact issue as far back as ten years and it's still not been fixed?

[Abobader 3464]

Hello BLAlley,

** 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:

Thank you.

Emby Team

[seanbuff 1315]

30 minutes ago, BLAlley said:

I searched and found others with the exact issue as far back as ten years and it's still not been fixed?

What is the URL you are using to download the Emby Server install package?

Also, looks like you're using quite an old version of Windows, Windows 7 perhaps? Have you ensured the OS is fully up to date?

[Guest]

https://embydata.com/downloads/server/release10/setup.exe

 

Yes, Windows 7 with Service Pack 1, just like it says on your site."* Supports Windows 7 SP1 or newer version of Windows. If running Windows 7 please make sure Windows Updates are fully up to date."

 

[Luke 42077]

Hi, you may need to use the portable build instead of the installer.

[brothom 177]

6 hours ago, BLAlley said:

I had Emby years ago and it worked fine. Now I can't even install it on the exact same computer it was on before because it can't download the setup files. I searched and found others with the exact issue as far back as ten years and it's still not been fixed?

I found this microsoft link: https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/answers/questions/1241236/the-object-reference-is-not-set-to-an-instance-of and https://stackoverflow.com/questions/34084003/visual-studio-error-object-reference-not-set-to-an-instance-of-an-object-after. 

They mostly indicate there are either old files that need to be cleaned up ór the current user has insufficient permissions over the designated folder.

You could try reinstalling the .DOT framework (these tend to get funky over time from my own experience) and making sure there's nothing in the director Emby is trying to install.
These are %appdata%\Roaming\Emby-Server and Emby-InstallLogs I think.

[Guest]

A long page of gibberish with no hint toward which section I should be looking doesn't help.

 

If you mean .NET framework I had just installed the latest version available to get a different app to work. I fixed it anyway and the problem persists.

To the developers, just because and issue with your product isn't a fault with the product itself doesn't mean you can simply wash your hands of it and turn away potential customers.You're still obligated to find a solution and apply it. That's like a store owner choosing to do nothing when the door won't open instead of doing what it takes to get the owner of the building to repair it so customers can enter.

Edited September 18, 2025 by BLAlley

[Lessaj 467]

Looks like the stub installer might be trying to get a 3.0 server version from Github which doesn't exist anymore (just based on what the UI shows). Windows 7 is dead, move on. I know it was probably the best OS Microsoft has put out, but it's dead now. To my knowledge it already has issues with TLS which will just get worse since newer methods aren't/won't be implemented.

[Luke 42077]

2 hours ago, BLAlley said:

A long page of gibberish with no hint toward which section I should be looking doesn't help.

 

If you mean .NET framework I had just installed the latest version available to get a different app to work. I fixed it anyway and the problem persists.

To the developers, just because and issue with your product isn't a fault with the product itself doesn't mean you can simply wash your hands of it and turn away potential customers.You're still obligated to find a solution and apply it. That's like a store owner choosing to do nothing when the door won't open instead of doing what it takes to get the owner of the building to repair it so customers can enter.

Hi, yes it is in our plans to build a new windows installer. Thanks.

[Guest]

2 hours ago, Lessaj said:

Looks like the stub installer might be trying to get a 3.0 server version from Github which doesn't exist anymore (just based on what the UI shows). Windows 7 is dead, move on. I know it was probably the best OS Microsoft has put out, but it's dead now. To my knowledge it already has issues with TLS which will just get worse since newer methods aren't/won't be implemented.

Windows 7 may be dead, but there is no way in hell I am caving to Microsoft and installing their buggier, more bloated subscription spyware version just so they can abandon it in five years and force an even worse version down our throats. We already switched one Windows 7 machine to Linux and will do the same with my server and other PC as soon as I muster up the motivation to start over with a new media server install. Since they can't make Emby available I'll stick with Plex.

[Luke 42077]

Hi, but don’t you want a personal media server rather than one that keeps all of your information in the cloud to sell to the highest bidder?

[Luke 42077]

Also Emby is available to you. The portable install can be obtained from our download page:

https://emby.media/windows-server.html
just unzip wherever you want to keep it and run Embyserver.exe

[Guest]

5 minutes ago, Luke said:

Hi, but don’t you want a personal media server rather than one that keeps all of your information in the cloud to sell to the highest bidder?

Why do you think I was looking at Emby and Jellyfin to replace Plex?  Except neither can provide a functioning media server.

[Luke 42077]

Just now, BLAlley said:

Why do you think I was looking at Emby and Jellyfin to replace Plex?  Except neither can provide a functioning media server.

Did you try our portable install. It works great.

[Guest]

3 minutes ago, Luke said:

Did you try our portable install. It works great.

6 minutes ago, Luke said:

Also Emby is available to you. The portable install can be obtained from our download page:

https://emby.media/windows-server.html
just unzip wherever you want to keep it and run Embyserver.exe

The server turns itself on and off each day so I need the media server to be system integrated so it automatically runs when the server turns on.

[Lessaj 467]

The Windows installer doesn't install a service that automatically starts anyway, you'd have to configure it yourself. You can still do that with the portable installation.

https://emby.media/support/articles/Run-as-Windows-Service.html

[Gilgamesh_48 1240]

32 minutes ago, BLAlley said:

Windows 7 may be dead, but there is no way in hell I am caving to Microsoft and installing their buggier, more bloated subscription spyware version just so they can abandon it in five years and force an even worse version down our throats. We already switched one Windows 7 machine to Linux and will do the same with my server and other PC as soon as I muster up the motivation to start over with a new media server install. Since they can't make Emby available I'll stick with Plex.

If you are really serious about that then install Linux. As far as i know Linux is MUCH better for security and has a MUCH MUCH more efficient footprint. Plus Linux is less targeted with bad actors. 

I run Windows 10 and when it comes down to it I will install Linux before ever "upgrading" to Windows 11. I think I have a pretty locked down system but, after investigating Windows 11 it seems much less able to be made secure but Linux is secure right out of the box. 
If I do go to Linux I will need to find something to replace my DrivePool setup but that seems like a minor problem. I think I will upgrade to Linux soon but I tend to be very set in my ways so I may keep Windows 10 for at least the disk pooling features and access the drives over the local network from my Linux computers.

I know Emby will run fine under Linux.

[Luke 42077]

Hi, did you try the portable install?