Need advice on running Plex server

Aug 14th, 2025 11:26 am

#1

cheapshopper [OP]: Deal Fanatic; Jan 31, 2007; 8056 posts; 8061 upvotes; Center of Canada

Aug 14th, 2025 11:26 am

I currently running Plex on Win10 PC, with i7-10070 CPU. I have couple more software that run on this "Always On" PC. I do have Plex LifePass.

With Win10 end of support soon, I am looking for options.

Option 1:
Reload this machine with Win11 and re-install everything.

Option 2:
- Load Ubuntu as main OS and run Plex on Ubuntu.
- Run Win11 VM on Ubuntu as guest system to handle software I need that only run on Windows.

Option 3:
- Win11 as base OS, run Docker to run Plex on Docker.

My First priority is Plex stability and transcoding performance. Everything etc is secondary.

Which way would be best option?

Additional Info: I change between Hardware Decoding vs Software from time to time.
I notice Hardware decoding give me problem on same of the MKV file and crash from time to time. Software is more stable but just use a lot of CPU.

I am not sure if move to Linux base will improve it.

******************************************************
Bright side of RFD: Often find good deal
Dark side of RFD: Tons of stuff that I don't need but still got them because of RFD
******************************************************

Aug 14th, 2025 11:58 am

#2

Gee: Deal Expert; Aug 2, 2004; 41132 posts; 14508 upvotes; East Gwillimbury

Aug 14th, 2025 11:58 am

If you have a 10700, you should be able to upgrade to Windows 11 for free

Just make sure you have TPM and UEFI enabled on your BIOS

Home Automation Thread

Heatware

+1

Aug 14th, 2025 12:41 pm

#3

ashman: Sr. Member; Aug 18, 2004; 757 posts; 1 upvote

Aug 14th, 2025 12:41 pm

Running Plex on anything other than windows is the way to go IMO.
Windows will be problematic due to windows updates, you will need to take your Plex server down for updates, constantly.
Running it on Linux resolves this issue, you will still need to do updates, but less frequently.
Have a look at unRAID if you haven't already, its not free, but is a great OS for things like Plex or running a NAS

Aug 14th, 2025 12:51 pm

#4

Canuck_TO: Deal Addict; Dec 11, 2008; 3131 posts; 2129 upvotes; Toronto

Aug 14th, 2025 12:51 pm

ashman wrote: ↑ Running Plex on anything other than windows is the way to go IMO.
Windows will be problematic due to windows updates, you will need to take your Plex server down for updates, constantly.
Running it on Linux resolves this issue, you will still need to do updates, but less frequently.
Have a look at unRAID if you haven't already, its not free, but is a great OS for things like Plex or running a NAS

Windows is not the nightmare that you paint it.
I run Plex server, Docker, NordVPN meshnet and multiple other applications on my i5-10400 Dell 3440 and I think yesterday was the first time that the system had to be rebooted in months.

+2

Aug 14th, 2025 12:53 pm

#5

ashman: Sr. Member; Aug 18, 2004; 757 posts; 1 upvote

Aug 14th, 2025 12:53 pm

I support windows for a living, have done for the past 30 years. It may not be a nightmare for you, but IMO it's certainly a nightmare compared to Linux, and that was all I was trying to convey.

Aug 14th, 2025 1:06 pm

#6

cheapshopper [OP]: Deal Fanatic; Jan 31, 2007; 8056 posts; 8061 upvotes; Center of Canada

Aug 14th, 2025 1:06 pm

ashman wrote: ↑ I support windows for a living, have done for the past 30 years. It may not be a nightmare for you, but IMO it's certainly a nightmare compared to Linux, and that was all I was trying to convey.

In term of Plex specific, do you know does it run "trancode" better in Windows or Linux? Or really doesn't matter

******************************************************
Bright side of RFD: Often find good deal
Dark side of RFD: Tons of stuff that I don't need but still got them because of RFD
******************************************************

Aug 14th, 2025 2:22 pm

#7

lead: Deal Guru; Nov 21, 2002; 12833 posts; 5308 upvotes; Winnipeg

Aug 14th, 2025 2:22 pm

where do you store your files?

If its on the same windows 10? then its using ntfs and that fragments easily and requires defragmentation more often and more work on said drives lowering performance. Less so on linux based with ext 4 etc

Instead of always transcoding use better clients that don't need it. Those are quite cheap these days

Aug 14th, 2025 2:32 pm

#8

cheapshopper [OP]: Deal Fanatic; Jan 31, 2007; 8056 posts; 8061 upvotes; Center of Canada

Aug 14th, 2025 2:32 pm

lead wrote: ↑ where do you store your files?

If its on the same windows 10? then its using ntfs and that fragments easily and requires defragmentation more often and more work on said drives lowering performance. Less so on linux based with ext 4 etc

Instead of always transcoding use better clients that don't need it. Those are quite cheap these days

It just store on the same Win10 machine.
I use Plex client run on Android TV Box (Android TV OS). It is MeCool, Google and Netflix certified. Also have one Walmart Onn.

What I notice is Most file it can play video direct but it transcode audio.
Some odd case not sure why it transcode Video too.

I need Transcode since some of my family watch my liberty from their home.

******************************************************
Bright side of RFD: Often find good deal
Dark side of RFD: Tons of stuff that I don't need but still got them because of RFD
******************************************************

Aug 14th, 2025 2:37 pm

#9

kramer1: Deal Addict; Apr 29, 2018; 4721 posts; 3817 upvotes; Vancouver

Aug 14th, 2025 2:37 pm

Yeah upgrade to Windows 11 and stick to Windows. Linux can be a massive pain unless you also use it professionally

Many of us, use Linux for work and so for us it is not that big a deal. But for the average user, it is a lot easier to stick to Windows.

Also since the drivers are generally better on Windows, it may transcode faster

+1

Aug 14th, 2025 4:13 pm

#10

lead: Deal Guru; Nov 21, 2002; 12833 posts; 5308 upvotes; Winnipeg

Aug 14th, 2025 4:13 pm

cheapshopper wrote: ↑ It just store on the same Win10 machine.
I use Plex client run on Android TV Box (Android TV OS). It is MeCool, Google and Netflix certified. Also have one Walmart Onn.

What I notice is Most file it can play video direct but it transcode audio.
Some odd case not sure why it transcode Video too.

I need Transcode since some of my family watch my liberty from their home.

it should play it all. The audio might just be due to the container or you haven't completley disabled transcoding altogether in settings of your plex server.

The realty is it comes down to exoplayer for your devices which is not a flexible player. Its only good for plex and jellyfin for its extras like restarting from last played etc or uhd playback that those servers are only dev to use for those client apps. Different kind of containers its not great and then the plex server kicks in as it reads an error. It can be tweaked and if someone out their would release a modified version to unlock playback to software level when it hits a hiccup it would be the goto. Otherwise I have tried a few but vlc remains the best. I use it and set my jellyfin client to use external player and on the fly plays old avi to hvec by the client instead of relying on the server when it hits an error for hardwrae accel to do it. Jellyfin used to offer libvlc directly but becuase that branch of vlc depreciated and had not be updated they dropped support for it. That was my goto. waiting for them to re-include it as it was updated in apr.

https://forum.jellyfin.org/t-solved-bring-back-libvlc

Aug 14th, 2025 4:37 pm

#11

cheapshopper [OP]: Deal Fanatic; Jan 31, 2007; 8056 posts; 8061 upvotes; Center of Canada

Aug 14th, 2025 4:37 pm

lead wrote: ↑ it should play it all. The audio might just be due to the container or you haven't completley disabled transcoding altogether in settings of your plex server.

The realty is it comes down to exoplayer for your devices which is not a flexible player. Its only good for plex and jellyfin for its extras like restarting from last played etc or uhd playback that those servers are only dev to use for those client apps. Different kind of containers its not great and then the plex server kicks in as it reads an error. It can be tweaked and if someone out their would release a modified version to unlock playback to software level when it hits a hiccup it would be the goto. Otherwise I have tried a few but vlc remains the best. I use it and set my jellyfin client to use external player and on the fly plays old avi to hvec by the client instead of relying on the server when it hits an error for hardwrae accel to do it. Jellyfin used to offer libvlc directly but becuase that branch of vlc depreciated and had not be updated they dropped support for it. That was my goto. waiting for them to re-include it as it was updated in apr.

https://forum.jellyfin.org/t-solved-bring-back-libvlc

Yeah, I still remember the old good day that Plex allow us to use External Player. Much better.
Back to the Plex server topic. Anyone know does it make a different for the Plex server run on Windows vs Linux?

******************************************************
Bright side of RFD: Often find good deal
Dark side of RFD: Tons of stuff that I don't need but still got them because of RFD
******************************************************

Aug 14th, 2025 6:19 pm

#12

lead: Deal Guru; Nov 21, 2002; 12833 posts; 5308 upvotes; Winnipeg

Aug 14th, 2025 6:19 pm

cheapshopper wrote: ↑ Yeah, I still remember the old good day that Plex allow us to use External Player. Much better.
Back to the Plex server topic. Anyone know does it make a different for the Plex server run on Windows vs Linux?

its always gonna come down to the linux support of the gpu for q-sync support. If all good then no different just less ram will be used due to less bloat and less fragmentation of drives if housed in the pc are also the server would need to be atleast ext4 formatted drives.

That means they will all be reformatted thus they will be wiped. Just a heads up if you don't have a backup.

People who run headless plex servers tend to run linux for 24/7. People who run widows based do so because they use it mostly for double duty as a desktop that they just leave on anyway and are comfortable with windows and/or have the storage/media drives on a separate nas already.

Example this my omv server but I use jellyfin and other dockers which holds usb 3 external drives formatted in ext4 all runs headless 24/7 no complaints cheap and easy
https://www.ebay.ca/itm/326391945589?_s ... g&LH_BIN=1

I bought it awhile ago paid maybe 65 shipped but prices have gone trumped for things lately. Does the job for me. Low powered reliable

+1

Aug 14th, 2025 7:06 pm

#13

SickBeast: Deal Expert; Mar 14, 2009; 19786 posts; 11910 upvotes

Aug 14th, 2025 7:06 pm

ashman wrote: ↑ I support windows for a living, have done for the past 30 years. It may not be a nightmare for you, but IMO it's certainly a nightmare compared to Linux, and that was all I was trying to convey.

Yeah well if you're going to run Plex, you should realistically run a bunch of stuff associated with Plex, and most of that stuff runs Windows only and can be problematic to get running under Linux, if you can do it at all.

Aug 14th, 2025 9:17 pm

#14

M-e-X-x: Deal Fanatic; Aug 17, 2003; 5627 posts; 473 upvotes; Mississauga

Aug 14th, 2025 9:17 pm

Plex on ubuntu for me.

FS: $15 obo TP-Link TD-8616 ADSL2+ Modem | $15 obo 2.5" HDD | Heatware | HowardForums

Aug 14th, 2025 9:23 pm

#15

kramer1: Deal Addict; Apr 29, 2018; 4721 posts; 3817 upvotes; Vancouver

Aug 14th, 2025 9:23 pm

cheapshopper wrote: ↑ Yeah, I still remember the old good day that Plex allow us to use External Player. Much better.
Back to the Plex server topic. Anyone know does it make a different for the Plex server run on Windows vs Linux?

No they are the same, more or less

Performance may be lower on Linux when transcoding.

+1

Aug 14th, 2025 10:24 pm

#16

cheapshopper [OP]: Deal Fanatic; Jan 31, 2007; 8056 posts; 8061 upvotes; Center of Canada

Aug 14th, 2025 10:24 pm

kramer1 wrote: ↑ No they are the same, more or less

Performance may be lower on Linux when transcoding.

Thanks So I should just stay with windows. No point to learn Linux if there is no good reason to do so

******************************************************
Bright side of RFD: Often find good deal
Dark side of RFD: Tons of stuff that I don't need but still got them because of RFD
******************************************************

Aug 15th, 2025 12:27 am

#17

kramer1: Deal Addict; Apr 29, 2018; 4721 posts; 3817 upvotes; Vancouver

Aug 15th, 2025 12:27 am

cheapshopper wrote: ↑ Thanks So I should just stay with windows. No point to learn Linux if there is no good reason to do so

It will be easier. Windows can pretty much do whatever Linux can.

Moving to Linux will be a steep learning curve and not like you will get a big performance bump or anything.

Why do you want to move to Linux anyway?

Aug 15th, 2025 7:46 am

#18

cheapshopper [OP]: Deal Fanatic; Jan 31, 2007; 8056 posts; 8061 upvotes; Center of Canada

Aug 15th, 2025 7:46 am

kramer1 wrote: ↑ It will be easier. Windows can pretty much do whatever Linux can.

Moving to Linux will be a steep learning curve and not like you will get a big performance bump or anything.

Why do you want to move to Linux anyway?

It is not that I want to move to Linux.
It is the other way around, If there are noticeable benefits to run Plex on Linux, I am willing to learn.

Done many "Google" and saw many said best way to run Plex is run it on Linux or Container. so I was thinking are those the better way. Never saw anyone said best way is run it on Windows.

******************************************************
Bright side of RFD: Often find good deal
Dark side of RFD: Tons of stuff that I don't need but still got them because of RFD
******************************************************

Aug 15th, 2025 8:34 am

#19

ashman: Sr. Member; Aug 18, 2004; 757 posts; 1 upvote

Aug 15th, 2025 8:34 am

Look into unRAID, there isn't a steep learning curve and compared to running it in Ubuntu, IMO, and the community support is fantastic. I've been running Plex on unRAID for 8 years and never had a problem. I run it in docker, and it works great.

Aug 15th, 2025 2:08 pm

#20

kramer1: Deal Addict; Apr 29, 2018; 4721 posts; 3817 upvotes; Vancouver

Aug 15th, 2025 2:08 pm

cheapshopper wrote: ↑ It is not that I want to move to Linux.
It is the other way around, If there are noticeable benefits to run Plex on Linux, I am willing to learn.

Done many "Google" and saw many said best way to run Plex is run it on Linux or Container. so I was thinking are those the better way. Never saw anyone said best way is run it on Windows.

If that were the case, Plex developers would also suggest that. They don't and infact suggest Windows. As the GPU driver support is better.

With Linux it may or may not have the right drivers and your transcoding may be slower

Now there are other benefits to learning Linux. Linuxfromscratch is what I suggest for people wanting a deep understanding of Linux. It is really worth it.

+1

Need advice on running Plex server

Need advice on running Plex server

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