Due to library issues after replacing a failing HDD, I had to delete my libraries, do a fresh install and start from scratch. During the process leading up to the “delete libraies and fresh install” decision I deleted an artist’s albums from the library in an attempt to salvage things. It said it would not delete the media files but it DID, 39 albums GONE!! Most digitalized from vinyl that never came out on CD. And naturally I deleted the master copies after breaking down the files. I know I have to go to Synology forums to see if I can recover them from the RAID disk. What I want to know is WHY this happened and how to PREVENT it from happening again. All media files were on a NAS separate from the PMS. Thanks.
If you select ‘delete’ on a media item, the media file itself will be deleted.
That’s what ‘delete’ means.
You can disable this delete functionality under
Settings - Server - Library - ‘Show Advanced’ - “Allow Media deletion”
I have read the support text on deleting libraries, but I don’t think it’s clear enough which actions will delete my music files on my local computer and which will not. What exactly does it mean to delete a library - does it mean it only deletes a plex listing for those items in the library but leaves all your music intact? I too had some problem similar to Dominic26 when I tried to delete my photo library from Plex web client – those photos disappeared from my computer hard drive.
I feel like it’s just not clear enough in the support text what is safe and what will delete your actual files. I created a Premium Music library, and afterwords changed so many album names and despite refreshing the metadata, the Plex library has not fully updated all the items. I created a whole new Premium Library to get it to pull in an accurate representation of my files and album names, but now I have an older Premium Library that I simply don’t dare delete. Why does this have to be so obscure? What exactly does it mean your media files won’t be deleted if you delete the library?
If you remove a library, then only this library is removed. Not the media files which are listed in it.
https://support.plex.tv/articles/200289286-deleting-libraries/
Thank you OttoKerner – by ‘remove’ library you mean when you choose the option DELETE library? DELETE=REMOVE? It would be much more clear if Plex would change the wording for removing library to REMOVE instead of DELETE. “Delete” is ambiguous, since it seems that in most other areas of Plex the word “delete” means it WILL apply to both Plex AND your local files (delete album, delete song), yet delete library only means “remove” from Plex.
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