Server Version#:4.62.1
Player Version#: NA
I added a folder to my movie library and now all of my movie content is marked for delete (red Trashcan). The folder was not created. How can I undelete my content? Or will I have to drop the library and re-add it?
Mind sharing some more details?
You missed some points when squeezing all that text in the thread subject 
Did you remove the old folder that contained your media?
If you haven’t… can you verify the files are still available at the exact path you see when trying to edit a movie record in your library (info tab)? Could be an external drive that got a different drive letter assigned?!
I’ll see if I can do better. The library is located on a shared drive. I did not remove any content from the library and I did not delete the library or change the mapped letter. I was attempting to isolate my movie recordings from the DVR so these did not intermingle with the content in my movie library. I found a thread on the forum that recommended to create a folder in the movie library and point the DVR to that. That is what I as attempting to do. I managed the movie library, added a folder (or thought I did), clicked save, and when I came back the the lib, every thing had the red trashcan on it. I probably did something wrong. There are 1600+ movies in this library. Don’t know if size factors into my problem. Hope this helps.
So your library is now pointing at two folders:
The files from the original folder are still accessible from your Plex Media Server, using the exact same path (no changes of drive letters etc. to how the items had been added to your library).
Is that a correct summary?
Will Plex remove the trash can icon if you open one of those items or after you manually trigger a scan of the library files?
For the most part this is correct. I thought I was creating a folder within the original folder. Maybe my understanding of that is flawed. Maybe Plex believes I was creating a new media folder and obsoleting the original. Let me do some digging on the server and see what I can find out about where the new folder was really placed. I have been afraid to do any scan of the library as I’m not sure it may trigger the delete. Will it? I have meetings the rest of this morning so next reply will be slower coming. Probably lunch Texas time. (Central)
Linking a new folder to a library doesn’t obsolete your previously assigned folders. However Plex will most definitely get in trouble if you assign your folders recursively (e.g. if the new folder is inside the original folder)
That is exactly what I tried to do. Is there a way to undo the request. I do not see the folder I tried to create in the movies folder. I guess best practice would have been to create another movies library (say recorded movies). Is it possible to have 2 movie type folders. Can I rescan the library safely and remove the delete request?
Playing the movie did not remove the red trashcan.
You can have multiple folders assigned to the same library.
I have my Movies library e.g. linked to 2 folders:
/plexmedia/videos/movies (de)//plexmedia/videos/movies (en)/Just make sure you’re not pointing to folders that contain other folders used by your library.
This should be fine…
P:\Movies\P:\DVR-Movies\However this won’t work (or at least give you a massive headache):
P:\Movies\P:\Movies\DVR\As for the red trashcan… if you can actually play the media, I guess you have each of those items linked to multiple sources due to your recursive folder situation. For some reason Plex seems to consider one of the sources to be unavailable and hence displaying the trashcan icon.
Your explanation fits both my problem and a way to create what I was trying to do. Thanks. Any idea on how I might be able to remove the trash can? I don’t see any options in the server app to remove the folder request I made. Is there a list or queue of the content flagged for deletion that I can edit beneath the plex server application and remove the request to delete the content? Feels like I am one absent minded click away from a huge restore.
Edit and go to the Info tabIn theory, simply deleting the new folder should bring you back to your original mode. Once you’re set you should be able to add the correct target folder for your DVR.
OK, when I edit the movie, There is a Red Unavailable on the tool bar. I click edit and info and only one path shows. If I hover over the poster on the main edit window the red trashcan changes to the play icon. When I click the play icon the movie plays even though it says it is Unavailable. It feels like there is something set in its database that I cannot touch.
Try doing a full Analyze on the library to see if that brings things back in order
“Scan Library Files” is supposed to get rid of the trash cans, if the items are playable.
I did an analyze on one of the movies and no change.
That sounds promising. As long as it does not act on the delete request. AND, I just noticed that I did not place a folder in the existing movie folder. The folder add request was to add a folder the the shared drive that the movie folder is on but not in that folder. But maybe I need some tutoring. I added a folder to the shared drive with Plex. If that add is a reference to an existing folder (it never showed up so I have to believe it is just a pointer), Then I added a reference that did not exist and that may have started my mess. I added the folder manually this morning and resaved the request but it did not help. I’m going to keep checking to see if some background task/service will notice. Executing the scan on the library with the folder now existing may just do the trick. Think I’ll do a partial backup first.
Sorry, my head spins a bit and I lost track of what you actually did and what not.
Edit your library(s),
go to the “Add Folders” tab
and look what paths are listed there.
All folders or UNC paths in there must be:
Here is the summary, I hope better. Plex allowed me to add a folder that did not exist. I should have done an “if exists” check to see if the folder I added was really there. The folder was added to my shared drive V:. Or I requested that but the folder did not already exist. I do have permissions to the share. The request was made to add the folder at the same level / hierarchy the the existing folder resides at. I completed the backup and I am about to request the library scan. I noticed in a Youtube that Plex does not delete the content, rather it only removes the reference to the content form Plex. Do I understand the correctly?
OK, I did the library scan. It completed in 2 seconds or less. I assume it did not see any changes to resolve. No change, I still have the trashcans. Interestingly, this only show at the server. The ROKU still looks fine. No Trashcan.
clarification— Plex should have done an “If Exists” to see if the folder being added does exist. Plex did not do that check, so my ineptness was allowed to proceed. If I understand the process correctly, This needs to be put on the enhancement list along with not allowing a folder in a folder.
