Database Inconsistencies

Plex Media Server Desktops & Laptops
1

Server Version#: Version 1.21.1.3830
Player Version#:

Hi

I am absolutely confused and frustrated by my Plex Server on a Windows laptop
I have been using this for quite a long time and have quite a large library of video and music

My recent problems have started with feature films I am adding.

I have the agent set to IMDB to scan for movies

heres the problems that have started recently that result in files (all of which are mp4) not being added to the plex database

(1) Sometimes files need to have the film title (as per IMDB) and the year as the file name before they will scan in. Sometimes they WONT scan in if the year is there
(2) Sometimes I need to have the filename and or year in the metatdata in the file properties as windows sees it. Sometimes they WONT scan in if the metatdate IS there
(3) Combinations of (1) and (2)

So, from a windows file properties perspective what is supposed to be there and what is not?

Problem 4

I currently have - according to Plex - 645 movies scanned into a library (called feature films). Yesterday it was 638. I have tried to add movies, but if the movie count may or may not go up but for sure the I cant watch the movie

I add a film to the directory, perform a scan.
Sometimes it isnt added at all no matter what the combination of files names, year, metadata etc.
Sometimes the count goes up (so from 645 to 646) but the added film never shows up in my library view

And if I view my library in different ways I get different counts which surely cant be correct

For example - view all movies by totle - 645 files
But view all movies by date added - 640 files

please can someone tell me what it going on, or how to clean the database, or name the files or whatever becuase I cannot figure out why in the last two weeks my usually stable plex server is not behaving or working the same as it was

Thanks

2

How to find the discrepancy between number of files on disk and the number of movies in the Plex movie library

Additionally, rule out the influence of embedded meta tags, by performing these configuration changes:
Go to

  • Settings - Server - Agents - Shows - TheTVDB

In there, grab the line ‘Local Media Assets’ with your mouse and drag it downwards, so it ends up being at the bottom of the stack of active agents.
Repeat the same under

  • Settings - Server - Agents - Shows - TheMovieDatabase
  • Settings - Server - Agents - Movies - Plex Movie (Legacy)
  • Settings - Server - Agents - Movies - TheMovieDatabase

Afterwards, Refresh Metadata of the affected items.

If your movie library already uses the new “Plex Movie” agent, do this instead:
Edit your movie library
go to the ‘Advanced’ tab
clear the check mark out of “Prefer local metadata”

Afterwards, Refresh Metadata of the affected items.

3

Hi Otto

Many thanks for the fast response

So I did all the things you suggested

The answer to most of the problems was discovered when I used the “duplicates” filter.

A film I uploaded a long time ago (The Magnificent Seven) which does show up on my dashboard was the only duplicate, which I thought was strange.

I selected the file, went to “get info” and the file info for the film was not only the actual file it plays but also stacked underneath it were all the missing files that I had uploaded recently but were not showing up.

It was like all of them were part of The MAgnificent Seven record

So Idelted all the files from the database, and the file system and then put them all back. Plex found them all so that bit is all good.

However … whilst “All Movies show by title” shows 653 files which is correct, if I view “All movies show by date added” only 640 files shows up. I guess they question is why isnt it 653? And the “missing” 13 were not the files tried to upload yesterday that got “stuck” as part of the Magnificent 7

Thanks

4

See if you have Collections showing up among the movies when sorted by title.
You can tell collections by them having not a release year under their name, but a count of movies inside.

5

Hi Otto

Yes, I have some collections so I guess that is why there is a “discrepancy”

However …

I am still having an issue with individual films being put into my folders and not being identified by PMS. I think I have found out why and want to confirm my thinking (I have I think found a solution that works for me)

So in my PMS I have set up my folders that contain media to do a partial scan when they notice a change.

My habit is to move usually three, four or sometimes five films into my media folder in one go. Now, given the size of an average video media file at HD ready resolution (say 1.5gb or more) obviously it takes time for the files to be copied physically into the folder.

But at what point does PMS “recognise” a change and start to add the file into the PMS database? Is it possible PMS gets “confused” and starts to try to add a file before the file is fully uploaded.

Worse than this is what I can best describe as several discrete and individual files being “stacked” behind a file that has been added. I cant upload a screenshot of it but I can describe it as follows…

5 videos, called film1, film2, film3, film4, film5

I copy all 5 files into the media folder in one go

I watch my PMS start a scan activity.

Eventually, after all the files have uploaded, I look at PMS and the number of files in the PMS database may have been incremented by 1 or maybe 2 (e.g. film 1, film 2)

But films 3, 4 and 5 have “disappeared”.

If I look for duplicates I see that for film 2 (for example), and do “get info”, I can see film 3, film 4, film 5 underneath “film 2” as if they were somehow part of film 2 when of course they are not.

Would this be a plausible as to why films get lost? I have reverted to loading my films into the media one at a time and dont start to upload the second film until the previous film has shown up in PMS. But this is not a very efficient way of working.

I guess I could change the settings for PMS to scan for itself for media.

But just want to see if my theory might be correct

Regards

6

Normally, Plex would wait with the scan until a file has been copied in full. If this doesn’t work, you may have to disable the automatic scan and trigger it manually - after you ave confirmed that the copy of your media files has been completed.

It helps if you stick to the recommended schema of
1 movie = 1 subfolder
If you stick several movies together into the same folder and you also have a custom folder structure above these files, then Plex may get confused.

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