Plex Media Server – Installation & Auto-Update 🚀

This script automates the installation and configuration of Plex Media Server on Debian-based systems. It not only installs Plex, but also configures all required dependencies, enables Plex as a system service, and sets up an automatic update check so your media server stays current without the need for manual intervention. 📽️

The built-in update mechanism checks for new Plex releases every 24 hours. Once a new version is found, it automatically downloads and installs the update. This way, you can focus on enjoying your media instead of worrying about software updates. 🛠️

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How It Works

The script performs the following actions:

• Updates your system package lists and installs necessary dependencies (such as curl, wget, jq, and systemctl support).
• Downloads the latest Plex Media Server package directly from Plex’s official repository.
• Installs the downloaded package using dpkg and starts the Plex service immediately.
• Enables the Plex service at system boot, ensuring Plex is always running after a restart.
• Creates a daily cron job that checks for new versions of Plex and automatically upgrades if a new version is available.

This comprehensive approach ensures that Plex is properly installed, configured, and maintained with minimal manual effort. 🔄

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Plex Media Server Installation Script

Copy the following bash script, save it as /usr/local/sbin/plex_install.sh on your Debian system, and then make it executable. Running this script as root will install Plex and set up the automatic update job.

Copy
#!/bin/bash
# plex_install.sh – Install and auto-update Plex Media Server on Debian
#
# Description:
#   - Installs Plex Media Server from the official repository.
#   - Configures Plex to run as a system service.
#   - Sets up a cron job for daily update checks and auto-installation of new releases.
#   - Logs actions to help with troubleshooting.
#
# This script is designed for Debian-based systems. Customize as needed.

###############################
# Configuration
###############################
LOGFILE="/var/log/plex_install.log"
PLEX_URL="https://downloads.plex.tv/plex-media-server-new/"
PLEX_DOWNLOAD_PAGE="https://plex.tv/downloads"
CRON_JOB="/etc/cron.daily/plex_update"

###############################
# Functions
###############################

# Logs messages with a timestamp.
log() {
    echo "$(date '+%F %T') - $1" >> "$LOGFILE"
}

# Updates the system package lists and installs required dependencies.
install_dependencies() {
    log "Updating system and installing dependencies..."
    apt update && apt install -y curl wget systemctl jq
    log "System dependencies installed."
}

# Downloads and installs the latest Plex Media Server package.
download_plex() {
    log "Checking latest Plex version..."
    LATEST_VERSION=$(curl -s $PLEX_DOWNLOAD_PAGE | grep -oP '(?<=PlexMediaServer-\d+\.\d+\.\d+-)\d+' | head -1)
    
    if [ -z "$LATEST_VERSION" ]; then
        log "Failed to determine latest Plex version!"
        exit 1
    fi
    
    PLEX_DEB="plexmediaserver_${LATEST_VERSION}_amd64.deb"
    DOWNLOAD_URL="${PLEX_URL}${LATEST_VERSION}/$PLEX_DEB"
    
    log "Downloading Plex Media Server version: $LATEST_VERSION"
    wget -O "/tmp/$PLEX_DEB" "$DOWNLOAD_URL"
    
    dpkg -i "/tmp/$PLEX_DEB"
    log "Plex Media Server installed."
}

# Enables the Plex service and starts it immediately.
setup_service() {
    systemctl enable plexmediaserver.service
    systemctl start plexmediaserver.service
    log "Plex service started and enabled at boot."
}

# Sets up a daily cron job to automatically check for and install Plex updates.
setup_auto_update() {
    log "Configuring automatic updates..."
    
    cat < "$CRON_JOB"
#!/bin/bash
PLEX_URL="https://downloads.plex.tv/plex-media-server-new/"
PLEX_DOWNLOAD_PAGE="https://plex.tv/downloads"
LOGFILE="/var/log/plex_update.log"

LATEST_VERSION=\$(curl -s \$PLEX_DOWNLOAD_PAGE | grep -oP '(?<=PlexMediaServer-\d+\.\d+\.\d+-)\d+' | head -1)

if [ -z "\$LATEST_VERSION" ]; then
    echo "\$(date '+%F %T') - Failed to check latest Plex version." >> "\$LOGFILE"
    exit 1
fi

CURRENT_VERSION=\$(dpkg -l | grep plexmediaserver | awk '{print \$3}' | cut -d '-' -f1)

if [ "\$LATEST_VERSION" != "\$CURRENT_VERSION" ]; then
    PLEX_DEB="plexmediaserver_\$LATEST_VERSION_amd64.deb"
    DOWNLOAD_URL="\${PLEX_URL}\${LATEST_VERSION}/\$PLEX_DEB"
    
    wget -O "/tmp/\$PLEX_DEB" "\$DOWNLOAD_URL"
    dpkg -i "/tmp/\$PLEX_DEB"
    echo "\$(date '+%F %T') - Plex updated to \$LATEST_VERSION." >> "\$LOGFILE"
else
    echo "\$(date '+%F %T') - No update needed (current: \$CURRENT_VERSION)." >> "\$LOGFILE"
fi
EOF

    chmod +x "$CRON_JOB"
    log "Automatic update mechanism configured."
}

###############################
# Main Execution
###############################

install_dependencies
download_plex
setup_service
setup_auto_update

log "Plex installation and auto-update setup completed successfully."
      

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Installation & Usage Instructions

Step 1: Save this script as /usr/local/sbin/plex_install.sh on your Debian system. 📁

Step 2: Make the script executable by running: chmod +x /usr/local/sbin/plex_install.sh 🔧

Step 3: Execute the script as root (or using sudo) with: sudo /usr/local/sbin/plex_install.sh 🚀

Step 4: The script will install Plex Media Server, enable its service at boot, and set up a daily cron job that checks for updates automatically.

Step 5: Check the log files (/var/log/plex_install.log and /var/log/plex_update.log) for details on the installation and any subsequent updates.

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With this automated setup, your Plex Media Server will always remain up to date. You can now enjoy your media collection without worrying about manual updates or configuration tasks! 🎬