Fixing Permissions for Minidlna Video Folder on External Hard Drive

In this article, we will discuss how to fix permissions for the minidlna video folder on an external hard drive. This can be a common issue for users running a minidlna server on their systems. The process involves identifying the user and group that minidlna is running as, changing the ownership of the video folder, setting the correct permissions, and finally, restarting the minidlna service.

Understanding Minidlna

Minidlna, now known as ReadyMedia, is a simple media server software, with no frills and a straightforward setup process. It streams your digital media through a network, allowing DLNA compatible devices to recognize and play your media files.

Identifying the User and Group

The first step in fixing the permissions is to identify the user and group that minidlna is running as. This information can be found in the configuration files, specifically /etc/default/minidlna and /etc/minidlna.conf.

In these files, look for the USER and GROUP variables. The values assigned to these variables represent the user and group, respectively, that minidlna is running as.

Changing the Ownership of the Video Folder

Once you have identified the user and group, you can change the ownership of the video folder to match. This can be done using the chown command in the terminal. The -R option tells the command to operate on files and directories recursively. The syntax is as follows:

sudo chown -R user:group /path/to/directory

For example, if minidlna is running as the user and group minidlna, and your video folder is located at /media/Media/Videos, you would enter:

sudo chown -R minidlna:minidlna /media/Media/Videos

This command changes the ownership of the /media/Media/Videos folder and all its contents to the minidlna user and group.

Setting the Correct Permissions

The next step is to set the correct permissions for the video folder. This can be done using the chmod command in the terminal. The -R option, like in the chown command, operates on files and directories recursively. The 755 argument sets the permissions as follows: read, write, and execute for the owner, and read and execute for the group and others. The syntax is:

sudo chmod -R 755 /path/to/directory

For the /media/Media/Videos folder, you would enter:

sudo chmod -R 755 /media/Media/Videos

Restarting the Minidlna Service

The final step is to restart the minidlna service to apply the changes. This can be done using the service command or the systemctl command, depending on your system. The syntax is:

sudo service minidlna restart

or

sudo systemctl restart minidlna

After following these steps, minidlna should have the necessary permissions to access the video folder on your external hard drive.

Conclusion

Fixing permissions for the minidlna video folder on an external hard drive involves a few steps, but it is a straightforward process. By ensuring that minidlna has the correct permissions to access your media files, you can avoid potential issues and ensure a smooth streaming experience.