Synology DSM 7.x: Move Emby ProgramData to “real” NVMe using bind mounts (step-by-step)

[ddark82 3]

Hi all

I’m sharing my “REAL NVMe for Emby on Synology (DSM 7.x) using bind mounts” guide as a single HTML file (copy/paste friendly + clean UI).

Context:
- Synology NVMe used as SSD cache is NOT the same as a “real NVMe volume” for Emby ProgramData.
- This method mounts the NVMe manually and then uses bind mounts so DSM/Emby “see” ProgramData in the usual path, while the data actually lives on NVMe.

What this does (final layout):

1) NVMe physical mount:
   /dev/nvme0n1p1  ->  /volumeNVME

2) Optional convenience access from DSM / File Station:
   /volumeNVME  --bind-->  /volume3/NVME

3) The important part (Emby ProgramData on NVMe):
   /volumeNVME/EmbyServer  --bind-->  /volume3/@appdata/EmbyServer

Why it’s useful:
- Metadata / database / transcoding-temp write I/O moves to NVMe (less HDD activity, less noise, faster UI and library operations).
- Works with the native Emby Synology package paths (keeps /volume3/@appdata/EmbyServer as the “official” location).

How to verify it’s REALLY using NVMe:
- Don’t trust only `df -h` (DSM may not clearly show bind mounts).
- Use `mount` plus a real write test:
  `echo NVME_TEST_OK > /volume3/@appdata/EmbyServer/test_nvme.txt`
  Then confirm it appears in:
  `/volumeNVME/EmbyServer/test_nvme.txt`

Persistence:
- After reboot, mounts usually need to be re-applied (I include a post-reboot command block).
- An optional rc.d script is included, but DSM updates/reboots may break it. Manual re-mounting is safer.

IMPORTANT / Disclaimer:
- This is NOT officially supported by Synology.
- It may break after DSM updates, reboots, or Emby package restarts.
- Backup ProgramData first (step 0 in the guide).
- A rollback procedure is included (unmount + restore ProgramData.HDD).

I’m posting the HTML file itself. It contains all commands step by step, warnings, verification checks, and rollback instructions.
Feel free to adapt it to your own volume names or device nodes.

Hope it helps anyone who wants real NVMe I/O for Emby on Synology.

Unofficial / not supported by Synology.

guia.html

[Luke 42077]

Hi, thanks for sharing.

[heffeque 78]

Maybe we can move this to the Synology board and put a pin on it or something?

[ddark82 3]

Absolutely, I’m totally fine with that.
Please feel free to move it and pin it wherever you think it fits best.
I created it purely out of passion and to help the community, so I’d be happy if it reaches as many people as possible.

[ddark82 3]

13 hours ago, heffeque said:

Maybe we can move this to the Synology board and put a pin on it or something?

Absolutely, I’m totally fine with that.
Please feel free to move it and pin it wherever you think it fits best.
I created it purely out of passion and to help the community, so I’d be happy if it reaches as many people as possible.

[ddark82 3]

Hi everyone,

I’m new to these forums, and I’m also new to Emby. I’m Spanish, and my native language is Spanish. I use translators to understand what others write and to respond in English. I’m doing my best, but I’m aware that translations are not 100% accurate and sometimes things can be misinterpreted. If something I say sounds strange, please know it’s probably just the translation.

I also want to mention that I’m still relatively new to Emby. When I installed it on my Synology NAS (DS920+ running DSM), I noticed performance issues when using mechanical hard drives — especially database load times, metadata access, and general responsiveness. There was also constant disk activity and noise. Nowadays, we expect everything to load instantly, and HDDs don’t always deliver that experience.

So I decided to experiment and ask ChatGPT for ideas. It helped me explore the possibility of using NVMe storage for Emby’s ProgramData. That idea even led me to remove the NVMe drive from my PlayStation 5 to test it in my NAS.

However, I quickly realized that Synology DSM does not use NVMe as a native storage volume (at least not in the typical way) but rather as SSD cache. Because I have some background in web development (saving the differences between fields), I was able to quickly understand the potential behind bind mounts and alternative mounting strategies.

Everything I shared was developed through experimentation, curiosity, and a desire to improve performance.

This text has been translated from Spanish into English. If anything is unclear and someone speaks Spanish, feel free to ask me directly — I’ll be happy to clarify.

Thanks to everyone for the patience and for the great community.

[heffeque 78]

Español aquí también. ¡Muchas gracias por tu aportación! 

A mi personalmente me va bien con el SSD caché, pero quien quiera sacarle ese puntito más de rendimiento, meter Emby a funcionar desde el SSD es una muy buena idea. 

 

Eso sí, el rendimiento del transcoding y del streaming no se verán afectados; sólo mejorarán menús, etc. 

Edited Saturday at 04:19 PM by heffeque