# Issues w/ PMS on Mac after HDD replacement **URL:** \ **Category:** Plex Media Server\ **Tags:** server-mac\ **Created:** [September 21, 2021, 3:39pm UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/issues-w-pms-on-mac-after-hdd-replacement/744996 "2021-09-21T15:39:47Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Rhythm\_Ryder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/9fc29f/32.png) [@Rhythm\_Ryder](https://forums.plex.tv/u/Rhythm_Ryder)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2021, 3:39pm UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/issues-w-pms-on-mac-after-hdd-replacement/744996/1 "2021-09-21T15:39:47Z")
Can anyone help? Apologies, I have been a faithful user of this great program for years… I had to switch harddrives and have been having issues ever since. I can launch Plex on my main admin user but Plex will no longer stay launched in another user that i have an external drive attached to despite having admin access? Any help would be greatly appreciated ---
**Author:** ![tom80H](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/plex/user_avatar/forums.plex.tv/tom80h/32/19753_2.png) [@tom80H](https://forums.plex.tv/u/tom80H)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2021, 4:12pm UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/issues-w-pms-on-mac-after-hdd-replacement/744996/2 "2021-09-21T16:12:53Z")
Moving this to its own topic as it appears to be an own issue (not related to the thread you were posting in). As far as I remember, PMS is running as a specific user. So running it from a different user might not be working. At least it’ll create a separate server configuration for both Mac accounts. So… if Plex is crashing(?) on one of those accounts… can you manually collect the [server logs](https://support.plex.tv/articles/200250417-plex-media-server-log-files/) from that user’s `~/Library/Logs/Plex Media Server/` directory? ---
**Author:** ![Rhythm\_Ryder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/9fc29f/32.png) [@Rhythm\_Ryder](https://forums.plex.tv/u/Rhythm_Ryder)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2021, 12:01am UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/issues-w-pms-on-mac-after-hdd-replacement/744996/3 "2021-09-22T00:01:12Z")
Thanks for responding. Please see attached.[Plex Media Server.log](https://forums.plex.tv/uploads/short-url/aWKXrzouMjnB4G8CmJ3iynDwcCC.log) (1.9 KB) ---
**Author:** ![BigWheel](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/plex/user_avatar/forums.plex.tv/bigwheel/32/78783_2.png) [@BigWheel](https://forums.plex.tv/u/BigWheel)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2021, 12:10am UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/issues-w-pms-on-mac-after-hdd-replacement/744996/4 "2021-09-22T00:10:28Z")
Database is corrupt. You can try to [repair](https://support.plex.tv/articles/repair-a-corrupted-database/) but I would just [restore a backup](https://support.plex.tv/articles/202485658-restore-a-database-backed-up-via-scheduled-tasks/) ---
**Author:** ![Rhythm\_Ryder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/9fc29f/32.png) [@Rhythm\_Ryder](https://forums.plex.tv/u/Rhythm_Ryder)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2021, 12:13am UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/issues-w-pms-on-mac-after-hdd-replacement/744996/5 "2021-09-22T00:13:25Z")
Wow, fast reply! Thanks I’m not sure i have a backup? so i will try a repair… ---
**Author:** ![Rhythm\_Ryder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/9fc29f/32.png) [@Rhythm\_Ryder](https://forums.plex.tv/u/Rhythm_Ryder)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2021, 12:14am UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/issues-w-pms-on-mac-after-hdd-replacement/744996/6 "2021-09-22T00:14:32Z")
Should i be installing a server app on each os x user? ---
**Author:** ![BigWheel](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/plex/user_avatar/forums.plex.tv/bigwheel/32/78783_2.png) [@BigWheel](https://forums.plex.tv/u/BigWheel)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2021, 12:25am UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/issues-w-pms-on-mac-after-hdd-replacement/744996/7 "2021-09-22T00:25:39Z")
Do you want each user to have their own Server that starts when they log in? You may have some use case I’ve never thought of. ---
**Author:** ![BigWheel](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/plex/user_avatar/forums.plex.tv/bigwheel/32/78783_2.png) [@BigWheel](https://forums.plex.tv/u/BigWheel)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2021, 12:33am UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/issues-w-pms-on-mac-after-hdd-replacement/744996/8 "2021-09-22T00:33:21Z")
if you just use Fast user switching then the server should continue running as the user1 that launched it. If the s user2 wants to access the same server then they should go to app.plex.tv or IP:32400/web, not try to launch the server from the applications folder or dock. else it will create a new server under that user and two servers running at the same time on the same computer is bound to cause problems. to prevent user2 from being able to try to launch it then when in the user1 account put server app in user1’s Application folder rather than the system Applications folder ---
**Author:** ![Rhythm\_Ryder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/9fc29f/32.png) [@Rhythm\_Ryder](https://forums.plex.tv/u/Rhythm_Ryder)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2021, 4:19pm UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/issues-w-pms-on-mac-after-hdd-replacement/744996/9 "2021-09-22T16:19:43Z")
BigWheel: Do you want each user to have their own Server that starts when they log in? You may have some use case I’ve never thought of. No. I have been having some permission issues between the admin user and the others created. Im hoping that that is not the issue too? Also, i am concerned that some of the meta data on the media files themselves might be causing some issue? ---
**Author:** ![Rhythm\_Ryder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/9fc29f/32.png) [@Rhythm\_Ryder](https://forums.plex.tv/u/Rhythm_Ryder)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2021, 4:23pm UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/issues-w-pms-on-mac-after-hdd-replacement/744996/10 "2021-09-22T16:23:10Z")
> [@BigWheel](#): > > if you just use Fast user switching then the server should continue running as the user1 that launched it. If the s user2 wants to access the same server then they should go to app.plex.tv or IP:32400/web, not try to launch the server from the applications folder or dock. else it will create a new server under that user and two servers running at the same time on the same computer is bound to cause problems. > > to prevent user2 from being able to try to launch it then when in the user1 account put server app in user1’s Application folder rather than the system Applications folder I had used PMS under a sub admin with no issue. It was calling to the IP:3400/web. now it is not. im going to try a repair then restore and will let you know how it turns out… ---
**Author:** ![Rhythm\_Ryder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/9fc29f/32.png) [@Rhythm\_Ryder](https://forums.plex.tv/u/Rhythm_Ryder)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2021, 4:25pm UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/issues-w-pms-on-mac-after-hdd-replacement/744996/11 "2021-09-22T16:25:33Z")
I had been launching it from the applications folder of the sub admin user or the icon in the menu bar. I will also make sure that plex is NOT running in the admin user. ---
**Author:** ![Rhythm\_Ryder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/9fc29f/32.png) [@Rhythm\_Ryder](https://forums.plex.tv/u/Rhythm_Ryder)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2021, 4:42pm UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/issues-w-pms-on-mac-after-hdd-replacement/744996/12 "2021-09-22T16:42:24Z")
what is strange is that it will launch in the admin user with no issue or problem with db but that the sub admin user says that there is a corrupt db? ---
**Author:** ![BigWheel](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/plex/user_avatar/forums.plex.tv/bigwheel/32/78783_2.png) [@BigWheel](https://forums.plex.tv/u/BigWheel)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2021, 4:56pm UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/issues-w-pms-on-mac-after-hdd-replacement/744996/13 "2021-09-22T16:56:48Z")
if the subadmin was launching the server then afaik it would have created a separate DB. if you look in each users unique `~/Library/Application Support` folder then there should be a Plex Media Sever folder in each with all the associated files including DB. it probably corrupted the subadmins DB that it was trying to create because it was having trouble writing to two DBs at once. (though that is only a guess as I have not experimented with this scenario) ---
**Author:** ![Rhythm\_Ryder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/9fc29f/32.png) [@Rhythm\_Ryder](https://forums.plex.tv/u/Rhythm_Ryder)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2021, 1:00am UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/issues-w-pms-on-mac-after-hdd-replacement/744996/14 "2021-09-23T01:00:13Z")
Still requesting some guidance please? I have attached a screen shot of the folder Databases in question. What should be present in this folder? There seems to be too many files… Should all the files that are not com.plexapp.plugins.library.db be deleted? Please see attached ![Screen Shot 2021-09-22 at 8.53.27 PM](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/plex/original/3X/b/9/b9b6b273c2a4802324e230e581bbaf3683bbbe3c.png) ---
**Author:** ![BigWheel](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/plex/user_avatar/forums.plex.tv/bigwheel/32/78783_2.png) [@BigWheel](https://forums.plex.tv/u/BigWheel)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2021, 1:16am UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/issues-w-pms-on-mac-after-hdd-replacement/744996/15 "2021-09-23T01:16:59Z")
I’m not clear which MacOS user is supposed to be the one that the server is running under. Or which one is it launching properly. That is the user library folder for the user account `tinglemedia`. Is that the account which the server is supposed to be running under and launches fine? At some point both accounts launched the server when they were logged in so both will have a Plex Media Server in each accounts unique ~/Library/Application Support folder with all that stuff. ---
**Author:** ![Rhythm\_Ryder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/9fc29f/32.png) [@Rhythm\_Ryder](https://forums.plex.tv/u/Rhythm_Ryder)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2021, 1:21am UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/issues-w-pms-on-mac-after-hdd-replacement/744996/16 "2021-09-23T01:21:35Z")
> [@BigWheel](#): > > I’m not clear which MacOS user is supposed to be the one that the server is running under. Or which one is it launching properly. > > That is the user library folder for the user account `tinglemedia` . Is that the account which the server is supposed to be running under and launches fine? > > At some point both accounts launched the server when they were logged in so both will have a Plex Media Server in each accounts unique ~/Library/Application Support folder with all that stuff. Thanks for your reply. The main admin account runs PMS without issue. The subadmin user (tinglemedia) is where i would like to run PMS, but is having issues. Im am trying to run the Manually Repair Database instructions but am having issues it is saying file not found when i try to run it in terminal /TMG/Untitled/Users/tinglemedia/Library/Application Support/Plex Media Server/Contents/MacOS/Plex SQLite com.plexapp.plugins.library.db .output dump.sql .dump ---
**Author:** ![BigWheel](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/plex/user_avatar/forums.plex.tv/bigwheel/32/78783_2.png) [@BigWheel](https://forums.plex.tv/u/BigWheel)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2021, 1:23am UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/issues-w-pms-on-mac-after-hdd-replacement/744996/17 "2021-09-23T01:23:02Z")
is this a new server install or one which you migrated from another HD? ---
**Author:** ![Rhythm\_Ryder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/9fc29f/32.png) [@Rhythm\_Ryder](https://forums.plex.tv/u/Rhythm_Ryder)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2021, 1:24am UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/issues-w-pms-on-mac-after-hdd-replacement/744996/18 "2021-09-23T01:24:09Z")
I deleted an older version and re-installed it ---
**Author:** ![BigWheel](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/plex/user_avatar/forums.plex.tv/bigwheel/32/78783_2.png) [@BigWheel](https://forums.plex.tv/u/BigWheel)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2021, 1:25am UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/issues-w-pms-on-mac-after-hdd-replacement/744996/19 "2021-09-23T01:25:24Z")
but are you trying to regain an old database so the server is like before you had the harddrive issues. Or are you trying to start from scratch? ---
**Author:** ![Rhythm\_Ryder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/9fc29f/32.png) [@Rhythm\_Ryder](https://forums.plex.tv/u/Rhythm_Ryder)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2021, 1:29am UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/issues-w-pms-on-mac-after-hdd-replacement/744996/20 "2021-09-23T01:29:57Z")
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