All media server v.1.18.x updates cause server unreachable/unavailable after update

Plex Media Server Desktops & Laptops
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I’ve been trying to upgrade to any version of Media Server v.1.18.x, but the update causes my server to become “unreachable” to the web interface.

I’ve been using Plex for many years, and this is the most serious and extended version failure I’ve yet come across.

I understand from searching the forums that this is the result of a new music scanner that does enhanced metadata searches for an ‘improved’ music experience.

I have a large library of music… 160k+ tracks.

The first time I did the ‘in-place’ upgrade, it pegged my CPU for over a day and the system was ‘unreachable’ the entire time.
Naturally my family and users rebelled and I reverted to v.1.17 and everything was fine again.

I’ve continued to try each of the v.1.18.x updates as they are released, checking in every few days. All cause the same “server unreachable” condition.

Eventually as a last resort (I didn’t want to lose all my music play history, but I bit the bullet) I completely removed ALL my music libraries from the system and upgraded to v.1.18.
That seemed to work, as the system remained online.

I gradually re-introduced my music libraries and let the meta information build… seemed to be going ok. Then yesterday the system was once again became ‘unreachable’.
Standard troubleshooting like restarting the server made no impact. Didn’t see any smoking gun in the log files.

Sigh…
So I’ve restored my server to v.1.17 and all is well again.
At this point I expect I’ll be leaving it at v.1.17 until I see some major announcement that all has been fixed.

My request to Plex Developers is simple:
Before introducing MAJOR changes to the way people’s libraries are catalogued, make it an OPTIONAL feature and NOTIFY the end user that it will cause them to be offline for extended periods.

Or ideally just debug it thoroughly before release to your installed base of customers.

Not everyone wants to spend days and days doing troubleshooting and reverting to previous versions. This is driving me to Netflix and Spotify, I can tell you that much.

Tech stuff:
Server running on a dual Xeon (16 cpu) Windows 10 Professional and 24 gig of RAM.
500gb SSD C: drive for OS and Apps, multiple direct attached SATA drives for media.

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I am running into same issue. I am getting following error when I check service status:

Exception AttributeError: “‘ZipArchive’ object has no attribute ‘_zip’” in <bound method ZipArchive.del of <Framework.components.data.ZipArchive object at 0x7f46600edbd0>> ignored

I am on version plexmediaserver_1.18.3.2156-349e9837e_amd64.

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Same issue here. I am running Version 1.17.0.1841 on windows 7 for and have upgraded to pretty much every version of plex prior to 1.18xx with no issues. I have tried 5 or 6 versions of 1.18xx of server beta and public releases and have same issue with all of them. Once I update I get server unreachable from the web interface. Once I roll back to Version 1.17.0.1841 all is well again. Anyone have a ideas on how to trouble shoot or fix this problem???

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Mentioned and mentioned again but noone bothers to answer. :frowning:

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Exact same issue as in this thread Server Unreachable
No response from Plex team…

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Yet another person who can’t go past 1.17.x . Not happy with the lack of acknowledgment of issue by Plex.

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FYI… Just tried installing the latest v.1.18.4.2164.
No change… install seems to run fine, but once completed I get an “unreachable” server from the web interface. CPUs are still stuck at 97% after a full hour.

Sigh… Rolling back to v.1.17 again.

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Restarting and manually launching the upgrade and picking repair fixed for me.

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I’ve tried restarting, doing the repair option, rebooting… none of those help.
Only rolling back to v.1.17 works.
Any v.1.18.x causes the ‘unreachable’ server symptom.

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How did you roll back? Where were you able to find a copy of v1.17.0.1841 (or did you have a copy of it from when you originally upgraded TO that version)?

Do you uninstall Plex and then reinstall the older version? If so, do you need to back up whatever library files?

I’m having the same problem since I’ve upgraded to v1.18… but I do not have a copy of previous upgrades.

Any help is appreciated!

A.J.

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See this post:

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I’m having this issue, too. Some response from the Plex team would be greatly appreciated. If rolling back doesn’t work, I’ll be open to recommendations for a functional media player.

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Darcilicious, thanks for the notes about rolling back. Any comments from Plex about a fix for the actual problem so we don’t have to roll back to 1.17?

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I have been in the same boat as well. Like all of you, I have tried every version of 1.18.x with similar results. I also have a large music collection. I have posted about this several times since 1.18 was released, opened my own thread on these forums as well, have attached log file after log file, and I have never gotten any kind of resolution from the Plex team other then “we can’t duplicate the problem”. I am also a lifetime Plex Pass subscriber. I honestly don’t think they care about this issue, regardless of how many of us have it…

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I love plex… but this issue and the amount of time to fix it is depressing… was going to change to lifetime member when mine comes up in a few months… now on hold. I even moved my plex server to connect direct to my comcast modem… still nothing.

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If numbers will help the Plex team take this issue seriously then I am another subscriber unable to go beyond v1.17. Have tried numerous iterations of v1.18 and it always fails. Goes unreachable, takes 100% of CPU on my Synology NAS that hosts the server (without actually appearing to do much of anything). The common thread seems to be to have a large music library as I do although it is exceptionally well organised, well named and thoroughly and consistently tagged.

I even wasted a lot of time rebuilding my libraries from scratch on v1.18 after first removing them along with their metadata. Went okay with my movies, ditto with some TV shows. But on trying to add back the music library it went unreachable and behaved as before. On adding the music library back piece by piece it worked for a while and then resumed the same symptoms on adding I assume one piece too many. I was pretty fed up by then and went back to 1.17. I felt sure that the Plex Team would eventually sort this out but there appears to be nothing new from them on this or other forum posts on similar/related issues that have been posted.

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Just a heads up… Installed the new 1.18.2171.Fingers crossed and it’s still early, but so far this version has been pretty stable does not consume all of my resources and has resolved my indirect connection issue (when it would connect) as well. Hope this lasts.

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Glad it worked for you Swervie, I wish I could report success with v.1.18.4.2171 but unfortunately I get the same results as all other v.1.18.x… Server ‘unreachable’ to the web interface and high CPU usage.

Left it for a few hours to see if it might improve, but ultimately had to roll back to v.1.17

Sure wish anyone who actually works with Plex tech support would weigh in on this problem.
I’m happy to send more logs to anyone who wants to have a go at seeing if they can find the ‘smoking gun’.

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Well… I knew it was too good to be true. Server is again unreachable from the gui either locally on the server or from plex.tv. I suspect when it does it’s nightly maintenance something gets hung up and gets knocked offline and processor usage spikes to 100%.

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I am having the same issue but on the Nvidia Shield. My windows server is fine but it feels ridiculous that using the Plex app on the shield it will not connect to the media server on said shield but will to my Windows machine. For the record I have a hard drive connected to the shield with about six Teras of tv shows, music and books/files (that last bit shouldn’t affect Plex but I mention it for the sake of being thorough).

Updating the server software did squat. I gore this gets resolved soon.

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