Adding a new album triggers full scan

[kwong24]

Server Version#: 1.18.0.1913

For some reason, adding a folder / album now triggers a full scan on my music library, which takes a very long time. I have not changed any settings.

“Scan my library automatically” is checked
“Run a partial scan when changes are detected” is checked

[jayntguru]

Same version. Similar problem. The Music scan never finishes and all scanning gets hung up. The only way I can fix it is to restart plex. Then when it hits the music library, it happens again.

[leelynds]

I reported the problem here a couple of weeks ago :

New Music metadata agent a little aggressive in scanning? Repetitive scans annoying

I’ve replicated this three times, but it seems the server is a little aggressive as to when it wants to re-scan the music library. I’m using a windows 10 server, and all I have to do is use the windows file manager to navigate to a folder with in the music directory. Almost immediately, it sets off a scan of the complete library, which by the looks of it, goes through it at least twice. Eventually it will stop, but perhaps by coincidence, only if I close the windows file manager, or navigate …

Today, I added one album (A 45 single with 2 tracks) which set off a full scan of the library, and repeated the scan several times. It eventually quit, and about 5 minutes later started all over again. During the scan, the network activity jumps up:

Sound Recorder

Server Version#: 1.18.0.1913 Since upgrading to version 1.18 of the media server, and my muisc library upgrading to use the new meta data, every time it does a scan, it now does a “Sound Recorder” in the process which takes a long time. What is this and what is it doing?

I think the server is trying to match and re-match any albums that are unmatched. I have hundreds in my relatively small library of about 2000 albums, because MusicBrainz doesn’t have an entry for them. (ripped old vinyl albums and 45’s from the 60’s and 70’s)

I am at the point where I hate even considering adding new music because of this apparent no-problem, non-existent glitch.

[Tellice]

I have noticed when i edit the music library, in advanced under scanner, there is 2 options, plex music or plex music scanner, Would this make a difference, it curretly set to plex music

[leelynds]

I believe “Plex Music” is the new scanner, and “Plex Music Scanner” is the old scanner.

The old one used a different metadata provider (Gracenote) if you had a premium library, or Last.FM. Plex is no longer associated with Gracenote, and I’m pretty sure I read in another thread that eventually that scanner will not be available.

Setting it to the other scanner might stop the full scan annoyance until it’s no longer available, but I would keep the new scanner and hope that Plex will finally realize a full scan of the library is not necessary each time, and fix it.

[leelynds]

I don’t understand the necessity to scan the entire music library whenever there is a change in one folder within that library. With the settings I have

• Scan my library automatically (enabled)
• Run a partial scan when changes are detected (enabled)
• Scan my library periodically (disabled)

the server scans only the updated or new folder for TV, Movies, etc. It’s almost instantaneous, even with generating video preview thumbnails.

However, adding one album or track to the Music library sets off a complete scan of the music library. Certainly not instantaneous, as all of the library is scanned again.

Example:

• I added a new movie to Movie library. Scan started at 06:41:31.652, ended at 06:42:42.058. Took approximately 1 minute ten seconds to complete, including generating video thumbnail previews.
• I added a new artist with one album and two tracks to Music library. Scan started at 06:43:19.638, ended at 06:52:05.091. Took approximately 8 minutes and 45 seconds. to complete.

What possible, reasonable explanation can justify taking 7 minutes and 35 seconds longer to identify and analyze two MP3 audio files (total run length of about 8 minutes) as opposed to a MKV video file with two audio tracks (run time of 85 minutes)

Please fix this annoying bug (or feature, if that’s what it’s considered to be) There is no need to re-scan the whole music library, particularly when you have settings in the server configuration that should control how and when scans are performed, including updating of metadata, etc during scheduled maintenance.

Plex Server Version 1.18.1.1973 (Windows)
attached logs:
Plex Media Server Logs_2019-10-29_06-52-34.zip (5.5 MB)

[JohnDadHome]

same problem driving me crazy!

try this though…when its next scanning go to the activity circle top right and click on it. when i do that it is always scanning the same album, this never changes during the scan. my scans go on for an hour. the only way to stop it is to reboot the server, rebooting takes about 30 minutes but once rebooted the scan has stopped (until i add another file!!!)

to sum up its a bug that plex wont fix anytime soon. plex has lost touch with its consumers it doesnt listen to us anymore because they are ‘to big’ to notice several moaning consumers

whilst plex was revolutionary and a game changer i think its reached its limit! i think its max-ed out! i dont think the program can cope with the libraries people have in 2019. tired and bloated with lots of old code and stuff under its bonnet eating up resources etc.

i bit like what happened to apple Itunes and microsoft windows. both suffered from adding on top of with minor updates. plex is forever offering new server updates. plex probably needs to be rebuilt from the bottom up, redesign it streamline it etc.

i aint no tech expert but i am probably not far wrong on this.

[ajbarnard]

Yep, same thing here with the exact same settings. I haven’t added music in a few months, but when I did today (added 1 new album), it scanned the entire library. Movies/TV/Photos only scan the new items, not the entire library. Must be a bug and hopefully fixed soon.