Ubuntu and JellyFin File system and Folder

[brevardo]

I've attempted to install JellyFin to my Dell Ubuntu system three different times now over the past three months and I always get to this point and can never get any further. I have three Mp4 Videos saved on my Ubuntu Desktop. I have no idea where I must put them and when I try to add a Library thru JellyFin it never sees my Files ( see below ) Is there a specific folder I must put them in? There are some folders I try to drag like the Media folder and it won't allow me to place it there?
   

[brevardo]

Here's an update. I finally did get JellyFin to recognize my USB Lexar drive. However, I'm trying to create a New Folder to keep new Mp4 files in. I go to create the folder and then put three Mp4 files in there and it seems impossible for JellyFin to recognize them. If it sees a USB Lexar why can't it see a folder called "New Folder1" saved to the desktop. Do I need to place that new Folder in a different folder in Ubuntu's file system tat JellyFin will recognize?

[theguymadmax]

It's a file permission issue. See the following guide: https://forum.jellyfin.org/t-mounting-lo...ons-primer

[brevardo]

Unfortunely I guess I'm not going to make this work. Ubuntu is way too complicated. I was hoping I could just follow a few easy steps. The last time I put in a chmod command in the Terminal it somehow interfered with LivePatch and I had to end up re-installing a brand new Ubuntu install disk.

[Bladefin]

Unfortunely I guess I'm not going to make this work. Ubuntu is way too complicated. 

I'm glad to see this thread, I was going to try out Ubuntu, but with no knowledge of Ubuntu,I think I will give it a miss and carry on with a Windows installation.

[EliteAlien]

Unfortunely I guess I'm not going to make this work. Ubuntu is way too complicated. 

I'm glad to see this thread, I was going to try out Ubuntu, but with no knowledge of Ubuntu,I think I will give it a miss and carry on with a Windows installation.

Ubuntu isn't that complicated. However, if I was starting fresh now I probably wouldn't go Ubuntu Server for a few reasons that isn't about "complications". Personally I would suggest something like installing Proxmox then using a LXC Jellyfin install script. Which installs a Debian install with Jellyfin that is sort of a virtual machine but not in the same way. As it shares the Proxmox's Linux Kernel, a.k.a the brains of the OS with the LXC container.

However, I am using a Ubuntu Server VM for Jellyfin and it's not to bad. No offense to Brevardo, but they were over complicating things a little. Probably out of frustration. Which I get it. Though don't let one persons set-back limit your server setup. Also, if you need any assistance on it and do want to run Ubuntu Server, Ubuntu, or even Debian as a VM to house a media server, I am happy to try and assist.

Unfortunely I guess I'm not going to make this work. Ubuntu is way too complicated. I was hoping I could just follow a few easy steps. The last time I put in a chmod command in the Terminal it somehow interfered with LivePatch and I had to end up re-installing a brand new Ubuntu install disk.

I know this is a bit older by a few months now. Though that sounds like you pointed the chmod at the wrong folder. When using a Windows PowerShell or CMD you also have to be careful where you target a command. If you randomly run a "Set-Acl -path" on Windows you could easily mess up a Windows partition as well. So you need to be careful when running any type of permission changing commands and point them at the right directories.

All that being said, I wouldn't let a few setbacks like that discourage you on using Linux in general. If you do wish to try again and want some assistance I am happy to try and assist with some more detailed replies. Trying new OS's have a sort of learning curve to them and anything new can sometimes be confusing. So, it's understandable how it can be frustrating. I myself get or have been frustrated by just about every OS at this point and sometimes it's just a little thing and you come back being like, "Wow that was stupid of me", lol. Making you want to kick yourself, but that's the nature of learning new things I suppose. No matter what it is.

[Bladefin]

If I was starting fresh now I probably wouldn't go Ubuntu Server for a few reasons that isn't about "complications". Personally I would suggest something like installing Proxmox then using a LXC Jellyfin install script. Which installs a Debian install with Jellyfin that is sort of a virtual machine but not in the same way. As it shares the Proxmox's Linux Kernel, a.k.a the brains of the OS with the LXC container.

@EliteAlien Do you have any video recommendations on installing Proxmox and then Jellyfin, keeping in mind that I will be a total newbie when it comes to anything outside of Windows, as Windows is the only OS I have ever used.

I think my main concern is able to setup Proxmox easily to point it to my movies that is on my NAS. With Windows thats simple as you just mount it.

Thanks

[EliteAlien]

Proxmox and most other distributions (distro for short) is pretty straightforward with there installers for the most part. So installing them is fairly point and click since they have a GUI install.

Video guide wise, I found these two. These seem to be pretty decent.

This gets you the USB stick ready with a bootable version of Proxmox. It focuses specifically on that.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hJfyCAWk5b4&theme=dark

This one has some stuff about hardware, the making of the USB stick, talking about things you can self host, and just general information as well, but it walks you through the install process. It walks you through remotely access the server with SSH too. Along with showing the PVE VE script that removes the subcription nag and stuff in Proxmox.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zngSuqCM4d8&theme=dark

LXC Container scripts usually walk you through them with a sort of "Do you want this (Y/N)" so these tend to be fairly straight forward. However, there is a few videos I found on the topic.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uu9PvIBYrWk&theme=dark

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AMhTLldaX54&theme=dark

These should get you going with these two. Yet they don't really talk heavily about GPU's, so I did find this one on a Nvidia GPU.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7mzNr_rfk4k&theme=dark

What type of GPU are you going to use for transcoding? Based on that it may be named different and based on the GPU there will be a need for different drivers. AMD you may not need drivers and Intel it could be you want the non-free drivers, while Nvidia you for sure want the proprietary drivers.

That being said, hopefully these videos get you started and is easy enough to understand. If you have further questions feel free to ask. I will try my best to break anything I can down for you.

[Bladefin]

Proxmox and most other distributions (distro for short) is pretty straightforward with there installers for the most part. So installing them is fairly point and click since they have a GUI install.

Video guide wise, I found these two. These seem to be pretty decent.

This gets you the USB stick ready with a bootable version of Proxmox. It focuses specifically on that.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hJfyCAWk5b4&theme=dark

This one has some stuff about hardware, the making of the USB stick, talking about things you can self host, and just general information as well, but it walks you through the install process. It walks you through remotely access the server with SSH too. Along with showing the PVE VE script that removes the subcription nag and stuff in Proxmox.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zngSuqCM4d8&theme=dark

LXC Container scripts usually walk you through them with a sort of "Do you want this (Y/N)" so these tend to be fairly straight forward. However, there is a few videos I found on the topic.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uu9PvIBYrWk&theme=dark

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AMhTLldaX54&theme=dark

These should get you going with these two. Yet they don't really talk heavily about GPU's, so I did find this one on a Nvidia GPU.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7mzNr_rfk4k&theme=dark

What type of GPU are you going to use for transcoding? Based on that it may be named different and based on the GPU there will be a need for different drivers. AMD you may not need drivers and Intel it could be you want the non-free drivers, while Nvidia you for sure want the proprietary drivers.

That being said, hopefully these videos get you started and is easy enough to understand. If you have further questions feel free to ask. I will try my best to break anything I can down for you.

Thanks for those links I shall start watching them now, the system is going to be a Beelink mini S13 (Intel Twin Lake N150)

[EliteAlien]

If I am looking at the same mini-pc you have it has a decent bit of ram. The CPU is a bit weak with only four cores, but you might be able to run a few LXC containers other than Jellyfin on it if the ram is actually 15GB. (If you felt like homelabing). As long as it's not something that needs a lot of cores. Possibly a DNS server and a few other little things (DNS Servers are nice as you can block ad's and other things with them. With Proxmox you can always experiment and learn a little if you're up for it. Looking into this mini-pc, people seem to use these for a couple of things using Proxmox. So long as it's not a CPU hog needing a lot of cores or large amounts of ram. No local AI now, lol.

Once you have it setup I would make a backup. What is great with Proxmox is if you have this installed you can make a backup of the LXC container. Then if you want to tweak anything in any way and do happen to break it. Well you just go to the LXC container in the backup list and restore the backup. It will return to a previous snapshot like it was a Windows Snapshot to a point before you changed anything. You can also clone, make a template of the LXC Container, and then move it to another Proxmox machine as well. That's more to learn of course, but once you got it down you have upgrade paths, and just a little peace-of-mind of knowing if you mess up it's an easy revert or move for your LXC Container.

An example I found of backups which are like snapshots.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9oQjbz2Y...theme=dark

Transcoding should be fine out of the box I imagine. Since most LXC scripts tend to set it all up for you unless there is a issue somewhere in the setup. If not or as I said before, if you just have questions feel free to ask.