HD replacement, Plex not starting now

Plex Media Server
1

Hi,
I just replaced a corrupt HDD on my Qnap TurboNAS and the database was restored and rebuilt. Now when I go to open Plex it won’t open and my media library isn’t findable either. Should I delete QNAP Plex app and re-install, at risk of losing my playlists.

Server Version#:
Player Version#:
<If providing server logs please do NOT turn on verbose logging, only debug logging should be enabled>

2

Even though you restored everything,

How did you restore it? PlexData shared folder ?

Did you, using an incognito windows, open the IP address of the QNAP?
– http://LAN.IP.of.QNAP:32400/web

This will prevent Plex/web from looking for other server IDs.
It will allow you to sign into the server again and force it to re-claim.

If this doesn’t work, then we’re going to need to see the server’s log files (the ZIP)

If you have access via FileStation and PlexData, go into PlexData → Plex Media Server , Right-Click Logs → Compress it.

Download Logs.zip
Attach it here and we’ll look at what’s happening

3

Hi Chuck,
Here’s the logs. Please let me know if there’s anything else I can do to help.

Thanks,
Hal

Logs.zip (5.1 MB)

4

@elcondore

Have you ever logged into the QNAP command line (SSH) ?

I ask because I don’t see any activity dated after April 15.
This means something is wrong and we need to go run some commands at the command line.

Please let me know how skilled / comfortable you are – how much guidance you’ll need.

5

I haven’t logged in to the QNAP command line. Unfortunately I will need a lot of guidance to get through this.

6

First step:

Go here:

  1. Download either the ZIP or tar.gz to your computer
  2. Now Upload that file to the “Public” shared folder of the QNAP

Is your computer a Mac or Windows? If Windows, 10 or 11 ?

7

I’m on a Mac. I’ve downloaded the ZIP file, unzipped and added folder to the Public share

8

Fasten your seat belt … Don’t make me stop this car. :rofl:

On the QNAP

  1. Control Panel
  2. Telnet & SSH
  3. enable SSH & apply
    Screenshot from 2025-04-23 19-23-15
    Screenshot from 2025-04-23 19-23-15849×444 54.9 KB

On your Mac:

  1. Open a terminal window
  2. ssh LAN.IP.of.QNAP
    – It will ask for username (administrator)
    – Give it the password (NOTHING WILL ECHO)
  3. When you’re successful, you’ll get this display
    — BE CAREFUL about wrong passwords. You don’t want to get blocked/blacklisted (it’s the same as if you tried logging in using the GUI)
  +-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------+
  |  Console Management - Main menu                                                                                         |
  |                                                                                                                         |
  |  1: Show network settings                                                                                               |
  |  2: System event logs                                                                                                   |
  |  3: Reset to factory default (password required)                                                                        |
  |  4: Activate/ deactivate a license                                                                                      |
  |  5: App management                                                                                                      |
  |  6: Reboot in Rescue mode (w/o configured disk)                                                                         |
  |  7: Reboot in Maintenance Mode                                                                                          |
  |  Q: Quit (return to normal shell environment)                                                                           |
  |                                                                                                                         |
  |                                                                                                                         |
  |                                                                                                                         |
  |                                                                                                                         |
  |                                                                                                                         |
  |                                                                                                                         |
  |                                                                                                                         |
  |                                                                                                                         |
  |                                                                                                                         |
  |                                                                                                                         |
  |                                                                                                                         |
  |                                                                                                                         |
  |                                                                                                                         |
  |                                                                                                                         |
  |                                                                                                                         |
  |                                                                                                                         |
  |                                                                                                                         |
  +-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------+
  >>
  1. “q” (you want to quit this gui)
  2. “y” (Yep, you do)
  3. You’ll be at the prompt
[~] #

Let me know when you get there

9

Oh I’m strapped in. Got the first part done. For the ssh on my Mac, am I pasting that prompt in or am I gathering my LAN and IP info followed by.of.QNAP

Thanks - getting in the terminal has been a place I feared to go but I do really want to learn more about this process.

10

From the terminal window, it will look something like this:

Here’s me logging into my TS128 as admin

[chuck@lizum ~.2004]$ ssh admin@192.168.0.70

After I enter the password, then it gives me that big QNAP full-screen menu

That’s what you want to see too

11

To anyone finding this:

We found:

  1. Plex backup did not restore cleanly. Preferences.xml was filled with nulls.
  2. After deleting Preferences.xml and starting Plex, it created a new file
  3. We then claimed PMS
  4. Checked all the preferences (Settings - Server) and tweaked as needed.
  5. Ran DBRepair for good measure to speed it up
  6. Repair done