Adding files erases the metadata and play count of other files in same folder

Plex Media Server Metadata & Adding Files
1

Server Version#: 1.25.3.5385

I’m using the Stand-Alone Movie Files method as a directory with a handful of subdirectories for collections I like to keep together and movies named in accordance to the “moviename (year).ext” naming scheme. In 7+ years I’ve had no issues with this, but recently (well, noticed yesterday) that when I’ve added a few new files and scanned the library, it finds the new file and proceeds to show the red delete trash can icon on files in the same directory, it then re-adds them but the metadata is gone, it won’t even auto select local assets after a match and refresh, and they are marked as unplayed and all play history gone.

Normally I wouldn’t be so worried about this, but I’m afraid it’ll get worse if a move is added to my general non collection folder of almost 500 items, having to hand pick the posters and refresh metadata for all those each time I add one file seems a losing fight, not to mention years of play history being eradicated.

I think there was a server update between Jan 3rd and 5th, this is when it seemed to start happening.

2

“Refresh Metadata” of your whole library.
Let this operation finish.
Then add another movie, as a test.

3

A refresh scared the heck outta me as it de-matched everything before re-downloading all the metadata again. I then had to clean out 700 odd bundles (on a library of about 830) so I guess everything was just having old bundles hanging around.

I’ve not been able to add any new files, but removing and re-adding doesn’t make everything else go weird, so I’ll keep an eye on in for the next few days.

4

That means that the library was converted to use the new metadata agent. However an important step was either not executed or aborted. The above mentioned Metadata refresh.

5

Which is strange, as I’ve been using the new agent for months

6

Doesn’t really matter. If the metadata refresh didn’t happen (completely) directly after the conversion, all your library items were living a kinda “half-life” until now.