General server instability for past several weeks

Plex Media Server Desktops & Laptops
1

Server Version#: 1.14.0.5470
Player Version#: no single version, issue affecting multiple clients, local and remote, multiple videos

My PMS running on Windows Server 2016 standard (and a few days ago upgraded to 2019 standard) is having some major stability issues for the past several weeks or so that are causing me and others who share my library some significant annoyance.

  • Remote users across a wide range of devices report failure to play many videos from my library with an h4 (codec) error.
  • Local playback of many videos (no particular video files) on the same Lan to an Xbox One X often results in the video freezing, the sound stopping a few seconds later, then a drop to a Server Unavailable message. Before then 5-10 seconds later it reloading the library after the server apparently becomes available again.
  • Server often goes offline for local players even when not playing something, then comes back online and reloads the library again after a few seconds.
  • Remote users often get " is offline or unreachable" despite the server being online and reachable at the time, with another user watching something at the time, proving that.

Is this something I could get a little help with please? Ideally I’d prefer not to have to wipe Plex and re-load it, as I have a few users who share my library and I don’t want everybody to lose their played statuses after a library rebuild.

For transparency, I do run Plex as a service using the Plex Media Server Service app (1.1.7.0), so I’ve ruled that out by stopping the service and running PMS as an application for a few days. No change in symptoms, the issues remained.

What logs might you need to assist please?

Many thanks in advance.

2

Probably also tied to all the issues of PLEX reporting LiveTV channel can’t be played and mid-way through a LiveTV show it just aborts playback. The logs show weak signal but that’s the furthest thing from the truth. It’s hard to get the PLEX guys to admit that jst because their trace statements were executed it doesn’t make it true :slight_smile:

It’s about the most unstable it’s been since the first release and that’s across platform (ROKU/ATV).

1 Like
3

I also use Tautulli to do monitoring of usage on my Plex server, and it too has had trouble connecting to the PMS periodically too, then I refresh the page and its fine again. Most of the time when I get kicked off on my Xbox, I check Tautulli and it too has been kicked off. It shows this in the logs:

Tautulli NotificationHandler :: Notification thread exception: [Errno 10061] No connection could be made because the target machine actively refused it
Traceback (most recent call last): 
    File "C:\Plex\PlexPy\plexpy\notification_handler.py", line 58, in process_queue 
        notify(**params) 
    File "C:\Plex\PlexPy\plexpy\notification_handler.py", line 369, in notify 
        **kwargs) 
    File "C:\Plex\PlexPy\plexpy\notifiers.py", line 630, in send_notification 
        **kwargs) 
    File "C:\Plex\PlexPy\plexpy\notifiers.py", line 810, in notify 
        return self.agent_notify(subject=subject, body=body, action=action, **kwargs) 
    File "C:\Plex\PlexPy\plexpy\notifiers.py", line 2328, in agent_notify 
        response = p.push(title, subject, body, priority=self.config['priority'], batch_mode=batch) 
    File "C:\Plex\PlexPy\lib\pynma\pynma.py", line 94, in push 
        res = self.callapi('POST', ADD_PATH, datas) 
    File "C:\Plex\PlexPy\lib\pynma\pynma.py", line 108, in callapi 
        http_handler.request(method, path, urlencode(args), headers) 
    File "C:\Python27\lib\httplib.py", line 1042, in request 
        self._send_request(method, url, body, headers) 
    File "C:\Python27\lib\httplib.py", line 1082, in _send_request 
        self.endheaders(body) 
    File "C:\Python27\lib\httplib.py", line 1038, in endheaders 
        self._send_output(message_body) 
    File "C:\Python27\lib\httplib.py", line 882, in _send_output 
        self.send(msg) 
    File "C:\Python27\lib\httplib.py", line 844, in send 
        self.connect() 
    File "C:\Python27\lib\httplib.py", line 1255, in connect 
        HTTPConnection.connect(self) 
    File "C:\Python27\lib\httplib.py", line 821, in connect 
        self.timeout, self.source_address) 
    File "C:\Python27\lib\socket.py", line 575, in create_connection 
        raise err 
error: [Errno 10061] No connection could be made because the target machine actively refused it

So PMS is periodically “actively refusing” connections. This isn’t great.

Happy for the Plex folks to remote onto my server to try and get to the bottom of this if they want.

4

So, the first picture is another example of what pretty much ALL of my remote users get now.

IMG-20181209-WA0006
IMG-20181209-WA0006500Ă—1000 22.4 KB

Then this is what I get locally on my Xbox One X quite often after a video just stops playing..

IMG-20181209-WA0002
IMG-20181209-WA0002500Ă—1000 45.9 KB

If I wait a minute, then poof! the library returns until it disappears again.

IMG-20181209-WA0004
IMG-20181209-WA0004500Ă—1000 111 KB

1 Like
5

Just updated to 1.14.1.5487. Not much better, remote users still having issues. Haven’t had a server unavailable message locally yet, but it’s early days.

6

Well according to the Tautulli logs, at 22:21:14 the server kicked off my Tautulli server again as the server “actively refused” the connection. The PMS log from that time onwards for the remainder of the minute is as follows. Any clues?:

Dec 14, 2018 22:21:14.038 [14160] DEBUG - handleStreamRead code 2: End of file
Dec 14, 2018 22:21:14.050 [14160] DEBUG - Auth: authenticated user 1 as Ryster
Dec 14, 2018 22:21:14.050 [8944] DEBUG - Request: [192.168.0.250:6408 (Subnet)] GET /player/proxy/poll?deviceClass=pc&protocolVersion=1&protocolCapabilities=timeline%2Cplayback%2Cnavigation%2Cmirror%2Cplayqueues&timeout=1 (13 live) TLS GZIP Signed-in Token (Ryster)
Dec 14, 2018 22:21:14.051 [8944] DEBUG - Beginning read from two-way stream.
Dec 14, 2018 22:21:14.630 [5784] DEBUG - Activity: updated activity 9a7ed729-adc7-402a-a292-0947181b8caa - completed 32% - Generating video preview thumbnails
Dec 14, 2018 22:21:16.372 [7392] DEBUG - NetworkServiceBrowser: Parsing SSDP schema for http://192.168.0.7:8080/upnp
Dec 14, 2018 22:21:16.372 [7392] DEBUG - HTTP requesting GET http://192.168.0.7:8080/upnp
Dec 14, 2018 22:21:16.373 [7392] DEBUG - HTTP 404 response from GET http://192.168.0.7:8080/upnp
Dec 14, 2018 22:21:16.373 [7392] ERROR - SSDP: Error parsing device schema for http://192.168.0.7:8080/upnp
Dec 14, 2018 22:21:16.634 [7472] DEBUG - Activity: updated activity 9a7ed729-adc7-402a-a292-0947181b8caa - completed 33% - Generating video preview thumbnails
Dec 14, 2018 22:21:16.781 [7392] DEBUG - NetworkServiceBrowser: Parsing SSDP schema for http://192.168.0.12:49153/description0.xml
Dec 14, 2018 22:21:16.781 [7392] DEBUG - HTTP requesting GET http://192.168.0.12:49153/description0.xml
Dec 14, 2018 22:21:16.808 [7392] DEBUG - HTTP 401 response from GET http://192.168.0.12:49153/description0.xml
Dec 14, 2018 22:21:16.808 [7392] ERROR - SSDP: Error parsing device schema for http://192.168.0.12:49153/description0.xml
Dec 14, 2018 22:21:18.142 [13520] DEBUG - Activity: updated activity 9a7ed729-adc7-402a-a292-0947181b8caa - completed 34% - Generating video preview thumbnails
Dec 14, 2018 22:21:19.645 [13240] DEBUG - Activity: updated activity 9a7ed729-adc7-402a-a292-0947181b8caa - completed 35% - Generating video preview thumbnails
Dec 14, 2018 22:21:21.662 [13920] DEBUG - Activity: updated activity 9a7ed729-adc7-402a-a292-0947181b8caa - completed 36% - Generating video preview thumbnails
Dec 14, 2018 22:21:23.670 [7472] DEBUG - Activity: updated activity 9a7ed729-adc7-402a-a292-0947181b8caa - completed 37% - Generating video preview thumbnails
Dec 14, 2018 22:21:25.168 [8944] DEBUG - Activity: updated activity 9a7ed729-adc7-402a-a292-0947181b8caa - completed 38% - Generating video preview thumbnails
Dec 14, 2018 22:21:27.172 [5852] DEBUG - Activity: updated activity 9a7ed729-adc7-402a-a292-0947181b8caa - completed 39% - Generating video preview thumbnails
Dec 14, 2018 22:21:27.368 [7392] DEBUG - NetworkServiceBrowser: Parsing SSDP schema for http://192.168.0.13:49153/description0.xml
Dec 14, 2018 22:21:27.368 [7392] DEBUG - HTTP requesting GET http://192.168.0.13:49153/description0.xml
Dec 14, 2018 22:21:27.371 [7392] DEBUG - HTTP 401 response from GET http://192.168.0.13:49153/description0.xml
Dec 14, 2018 22:21:27.371 [7392] ERROR - SSDP: Error parsing device schema for http://192.168.0.13:49153/description0.xml
Dec 14, 2018 22:21:27.461 [7392] DEBUG - NetworkServiceBrowser: Parsing SSDP schema for http://192.168.0.39:49153/description1.xml
Dec 14, 2018 22:21:27.461 [7392] DEBUG - HTTP requesting GET http://192.168.0.39:49153/description1.xml
Dec 14, 2018 22:21:27.467 [7392] DEBUG - HTTP 401 response from GET http://192.168.0.39:49153/description1.xml
Dec 14, 2018 22:21:27.467 [7392] ERROR - SSDP: Error parsing device schema for http://192.168.0.39:49153/description1.xml
Dec 14, 2018 22:21:28.680 [8944] DEBUG - Activity: updated activity 9a7ed729-adc7-402a-a292-0947181b8caa - completed 40% - Generating video preview thumbnails
Dec 14, 2018 22:21:29.310 [7392] DEBUG - NetworkServiceBrowser: Parsing SSDP schema for http://192.168.0.30:49153/description5.xml
Dec 14, 2018 22:21:29.310 [7392] DEBUG - HTTP requesting GET http://192.168.0.30:49153/description5.xml
Dec 14, 2018 22:21:29.312 [7392] DEBUG - HTTP 401 response from GET http://192.168.0.30:49153/description5.xml
Dec 14, 2018 22:21:29.312 [7392] ERROR - SSDP: Error parsing device schema for http://192.168.0.30:49153/description5.xml
Dec 14, 2018 22:21:30.189 [5784] DEBUG - Activity: updated activity 9a7ed729-adc7-402a-a292-0947181b8caa - completed 41% - Generating video preview thumbnails
Dec 14, 2018 22:21:31.704 [13516] DEBUG - Activity: updated activity 9a7ed729-adc7-402a-a292-0947181b8caa - completed 42% - Generating video preview thumbnails
Dec 14, 2018 22:21:34.052 [14160] DEBUG - handleStreamRead code 2: End of file
Dec 14, 2018 22:21:34.171 [14160] DEBUG - Auth: authenticated user 1 as Ryster
Dec 14, 2018 22:21:34.171 [5784] DEBUG - Request: [192.168.0.250:6447 (Subnet)] GET /player/proxy/poll?deviceClass=pc&protocolVersion=1&protocolCapabilities=timeline%2Cplayback%2Cnavigation%2Cmirror%2Cplayqueues&timeout=1 (8 live) TLS GZIP Signed-in Token (Ryster)
Dec 14, 2018 22:21:34.172 [5784] DEBUG - Beginning read from two-way stream.
Dec 14, 2018 22:21:34.214 [5852] DEBUG - Activity: updated activity 9a7ed729-adc7-402a-a292-0947181b8caa - completed 43% - Generating video preview thumbnails
Dec 14, 2018 22:21:35.283 [9240] DEBUG - Statistics: Flushing 12 expired bandwidth entries, 0 expired media entries.
Dec 14, 2018 22:21:36.224 [13516] DEBUG - Activity: updated activity 9a7ed729-adc7-402a-a292-0947181b8caa - completed 44% - Generating video preview thumbnails
Dec 14, 2018 22:21:38.228 [5852] DEBUG - Activity: updated activity 9a7ed729-adc7-402a-a292-0947181b8caa - completed 45% - Generating video preview thumbnails
Dec 14, 2018 22:21:40.239 [7472] DEBUG - Activity: updated activity 9a7ed729-adc7-402a-a292-0947181b8caa - completed 46% - Generating video preview thumbnails
Dec 14, 2018 22:21:42.250 [5852] DEBUG - Activity: updated activity 9a7ed729-adc7-402a-a292-0947181b8caa - completed 47% - Generating video preview thumbnails
Dec 14, 2018 22:21:43.760 [13516] DEBUG - Activity: updated activity 9a7ed729-adc7-402a-a292-0947181b8caa - completed 48% - Generating video preview thumbnails
Dec 14, 2018 22:21:45.767 [8944] DEBUG - Activity: updated activity 9a7ed729-adc7-402a-a292-0947181b8caa - completed 49% - Generating video preview thumbnails
Dec 14, 2018 22:21:46.374 [7392] DEBUG - NetworkServiceBrowser: Parsing SSDP schema for http://192.168.0.7:8080/upnp
Dec 14, 2018 22:21:46.374 [7392] DEBUG - HTTP requesting GET http://192.168.0.7:8080/upnp
Dec 14, 2018 22:21:46.375 [7392] DEBUG - HTTP 404 response from GET http://192.168.0.7:8080/upnp
Dec 14, 2018 22:21:46.375 [7392] ERROR - SSDP: Error parsing device schema for http://192.168.0.7:8080/upnp
Dec 14, 2018 22:21:47.033 [7392] DEBUG - NetworkServiceBrowser: Parsing SSDP schema for http://192.168.0.12:49153/description1.xml
Dec 14, 2018 22:21:47.034 [7392] DEBUG - HTTP requesting GET http://192.168.0.12:49153/description1.xml
Dec 14, 2018 22:21:47.062 [7392] DEBUG - HTTP 401 response from GET http://192.168.0.12:49153/description1.xml
Dec 14, 2018 22:21:47.062 [7392] ERROR - SSDP: Error parsing device schema for http://192.168.0.12:49153/description1.xml
Dec 14, 2018 22:21:47.277 [13920] DEBUG - Activity: updated activity 9a7ed729-adc7-402a-a292-0947181b8caa - completed 50% - Generating video preview thumbnails
Dec 14, 2018 22:21:48.779 [7472] DEBUG - Activity: updated activity 9a7ed729-adc7-402a-a292-0947181b8caa - completed 51% - Generating video preview thumbnails
Dec 14, 2018 22:21:50.792 [5784] DEBUG - Activity: updated activity 9a7ed729-adc7-402a-a292-0947181b8caa - completed 52% - Generating video preview thumbnails
Dec 14, 2018 22:21:52.805 [13520] DEBUG - Activity: updated activity 9a7ed729-adc7-402a-a292-0947181b8caa - completed 53% - Generating video preview thumbnails
Dec 14, 2018 22:21:54.174 [14160] DEBUG - handleStreamRead code 2: End of file
Dec 14, 2018 22:21:54.304 [14160] DEBUG - Auth: authenticated user 1 as Ryster
Dec 14, 2018 22:21:54.304 [5852] DEBUG - Request: [192.168.0.250:6453 (Subnet)] GET /player/proxy/poll?deviceClass=pc&protocolVersion=1&protocolCapabilities=timeline%2Cplayback%2Cnavigation%2Cmirror%2Cplayqueues&timeout=1 (8 live) TLS GZIP Signed-in Token (Ryster)
Dec 14, 2018 22:21:54.305 [5852] DEBUG - Beginning read from two-way stream.
Dec 14, 2018 22:21:54.308 [5784] DEBUG - Activity: updated activity 9a7ed729-adc7-402a-a292-0947181b8caa - completed 54% - Generating video preview thumbnails
Dec 14, 2018 22:21:56.318 [13520] DEBUG - Activity: updated activity 9a7ed729-adc7-402a-a292-0947181b8caa - completed 55% - Generating video preview thumbnails
Dec 14, 2018 22:21:57.554 [7392] DEBUG - NetworkServiceBrowser: Parsing SSDP schema for http://192.168.0.39:49153/description0.xml
Dec 14, 2018 22:21:57.554 [7392] DEBUG - HTTP requesting GET http://192.168.0.39:49153/description0.xml
Dec 14, 2018 22:21:57.562 [7392] DEBUG - HTTP 401 response from GET http://192.168.0.39:49153/description0.xml
Dec 14, 2018 22:21:57.562 [7392] ERROR - SSDP: Error parsing device schema for http://192.168.0.39:49153/description0.xml
Dec 14, 2018 22:21:58.325 [5784] DEBUG - Activity: updated activity 9a7ed729-adc7-402a-a292-0947181b8caa - completed 56% - Generating video preview thumbnails
Dec 14, 2018 22:21:58.870 [7392] DEBUG - NetworkServiceBrowser: Parsing SSDP schema for http://192.168.0.13:49153/description1.xml
Dec 14, 2018 22:21:58.871 [7392] DEBUG - HTTP requesting GET http://192.168.0.13:49153/description1.xml
Dec 14, 2018 22:21:58.873 [7392] DEBUG - HTTP 401 response from GET http://192.168.0.13:49153/description1.xml
Dec 14, 2018 22:21:58.874 [7392] ERROR - SSDP: Error parsing device schema for http://192.168.0.13:49153/description1.xml

I really don’t want to have to start looking for alternate solutions as I paid a lifetime sub for this thing, but it’s just not reliable any more and it sucks. Plex staff? I’d appreciate less focus on the fluff like podcasts, etc, and more focus on the core functionality please.

7

Well I’ve resigned myself to the fact that Plex doesn’t give two hoots about supporting it’s paying users, so I’m taking matters into my own hands and re-installing Plex. Just trying to figure out how to get trakt scrobbling working now so I don’t lose all my watched statuses, of which there are many.

Last time I do this though. If this happens again, I’ll be invoking article 50 of Plexit. (I’m here all week).

8

Watching this one, exact same issue as me. :frowning:

1 Like
9

Well I’m pleased to report that a full wipe and re-load of Plex seems to have resolved these issues. Regrettably with the loss of everybody’s watched status as Plex offer no easy way to back this stuff up. I figured out how to add Trakt scrobbling, so mine were ok for the most part, but everybody else lost theirs. The Plex KB article describing how to use sqlite3 to export from the database is totally useless and gives commands that don’t work on windows (grep doesn’t exist).

A small snag did crop up after the server rebuild, several of the apps including the Android and Xbox One X apps got confused after the new server install (same name) came back online. All my TV was showing under Movies, and vice versa. Removing the app’s data and re-signing in again resolved that.

Let’s just hope this doesn’t happen again as I’ve no appetite to go through this again. The lesson learned here is that Plex support for paying customers is non-existent despite the twitter rep directing you here to report the issue in the forums, if I hadn’t bought into Plex early on with a lifetime sub I’d have canceled my sub by now. Also that Plex devs seem to no longer care about the basics of their product (ie. core media server functionality). A real shame as this product was once great.

10

It seems to be a matter of getting Plex-staff to admit that there is an instability issue at all. This has been an on again off again issue in one form or another and the overall platform simply isn’t reliable.

There was a point in the server releases where they seemed to have fixed things, maybe if we can convince them it isn’t all in our heads we can get back to that !

… heh, Plexit.

1 Like
11

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