Drive died, is there a way to get a list from the database of what was on that specific drive?

Plex Media Server Desktops & Laptops
1

so I had a drive take a dump on me last night (platters spin, arms and heads make no noise, PC sees it to a extent but shows blank and it wont let me initialize it as it’s always busy… On whatever PC I try it on, so it bit the dust and is off to RMA land).
Is there a tool or something I can use to get a list of files that were on that drive?
I’ve been trying to use Tautulli to export level 0 metadata/media info but it keeps failing (probably due to the amount of media I’m trying to put in a xml file).
Getting the data back isn’t really the issue (I have the sources for everything) I just need to know was was there to get the correct stuff.

Any suggestions on if there is such a tool? the trash hasn’t been emptied so stuff shows up just says unavailable if i pick something that was on that drive.

thanks in advance

2

As long as the dying drive is not the one that is housing the Plex data folder, you can export the whole library as a CSV file using WebTools NG
Then sort or filter by media file storage location in a spreadsheet app and you have your list.

3

Good, I’ll try that when i get home. The server and database are on a ssd, all that failed was a drive with movies

4

Just keep in mind that you may have to restore a database backup, if you have set your server to scan libraries automatically and also have activated the automatic emptying of library trash.

5

turned trash emptying automatically off so everything is showing as unavailable from that drive since yesterday morning

6

this seems to be doing it, im trying level 1 first but it has the correct movie count that it’s exporting to the csv

7

Suggest you export like 5 movies at level “All”

Then look at the output, and create a custom level with only the fields you need

8

yeah im going with all, level 1 and 2 didnt have the file path or file name
no worries. I really appreciate the help.
it’s gonna take a long time at ALL but it’ll be worth it if i can get file paths and just remove everything but that one drive so I can reacquire everything that was there and have it ready for when the RMA’d drive comes

9

Only do 5, and then use that as a foundation for a custom level.

It’s way faster, if it only need a subset of fields

10

ok so say im stupid and did ALL and it completed and wont show any paths
what custom filters do i need to add cause all the stuff is still showing up just not available

11

You’ll need to look at the following fields:

  • Part File Path
  • Part File Combined
  • Part File
  • Part Exists

Ref: All Available Fields for Levels · WebTools-NG/WebTools-NG Wiki · GitHub

12

im trying that

13

ok that sorta worked, it now shows where the files were on the drive but they are merged in fields H and I for the end of the actual file name and the path
what am i doing wrong?

14

You probably used an unlucky field “separator” character. My favorite is a TAB, because it is quite unlikely to appear in actual metadata from Plex.

When opening the CSV file in your spreadsheet app, you should see some options on how to import it and which character to interpret as field separator. MS Excel only shows this kind of dialog if you “import” the file, not when you perform a regular “open file” command.
Try Libre Office instead.

15

I got everything to work, i sorted everything out with the info i wanted and printed it.
Like 40 pages but I got the list.

Thanks!

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