Common Logitech Media Server (LMS) Commands

I’ve tried multiple self-hosted audio streaming options including: Ampache, Airsonic, Mopidy, Volumio and more.

However, I always come back to Logitech Media Server.
In my opinion, it’s the best for streaming your audio to your desk (It’s not so great for taking your tunes with you.)

I’m always tinkering or trying out new Logitech Media Server installs, and this is an accumulated Cheat Sheet of Linux/Raspberry Pi commands that I’ve used over the years.

Start, Stop, and Restart LMS

sudo service logitechmediaserver start
sudo service logitechmediaserver stop
sudo service logitechmediaserver restart

Get proper ownership of the main LMS directory

sudo chown squeezeboxserver -R /var/lib/squeezeboxserver/

Backup your LMS files

sudo cp -r /var/lib/squeezeboxserver MyBackupDirectory

Restore your LMS files

sudo service logitechmediaserver stop
cd MyBackupDirectory
sudo cp -r squeezeboxserver /var/lib/
sudo chown squeezeboxserver -R /var/lib/squeezeboxserver/
sudo service logitechmediaserver start

Need to copy your favorites back over and the “OPML Playlist Browser & Editor” isn’t cooperating?

CD to the folder where your backup is and use these commands

sudo service logitechmediaserver stop
sudo cp favorites.opml /var/lib/squeezeboxserver/prefs
sudo chown squeezeboxserver /var/lib/squeezeboxserver/prefs/favorites.opml
sudo service logitechmediaserver start

Restore just your plugins

sudo service logitechmediaserver stop
cd MyBackupDirectory/squeezeboxserver/cache/Installed Plugins
sudo cp -r Plugins /var/lib/squeezeboxserver/cache/InstalledPlugins/
sudo chown squeezeboxserver -R /var/lib/squeezeboxserver/
sudo service logitechmediaserver start

Installed a plugin and LMS won’t start?

sudo service logitechmediaserver stop
cd /var/lib/squeezeboxserver/cache/InstalledPlugins/Plugins
sudo rm -r MyBadPlugin
sudo service logitechmediaserver start

Want to start over without reinstalling?

sudo service logitechmediaserver stop
cd /var/lib/squeezeboxserver/cache
sudo rm *.db
- If you’d like to verify that you are deleting the correct db first, try this: echo sudo rm *.db which shows which db will be deleted or sudo rm -i *.db which will prompt you to delete the db before it happens.
sudo service logitechmediaserver start

Delete everything

sudo rm -r /var/lib/squeezeboxserver
sudo rm -r /etc/squeezeboxserver

4 replies on “Common Logitech Media Server (LMS) Commands”

[…] (Some Common LMS Commands) […]

Great over – thanks a lot! Regarding cache I would recommend also to delete the *.wal files

“Write Ahead Logging” files used by the database storing LMS music

Many thanks – this is a most helpful summary of all the commands you need to get out of trouble ! Might be worth putting a ‘check you are in the correct directory with a pwd’ before issuing a ‘sudo rm*.db’ command. The unwary might expect an undo function having mistyped the ‘cd’ command. (Never happened to me of course 😉

Thanks for the idea! I’ve added a couple options to verify what will be deleted before actually doing so.

4 replies on “Common Logitech Media Server (LMS) Commands”

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