Library missing after new Install of Plex on Windows 10 (new Install)

Plex Media Server Desktops & Laptops
1

Hello,

Hoping someone can help me here.

Installed Windows 10 clean. I don;t believe the Hard drive letters have changed.

Prior to this,

I have followed a guide to restoring Plex:

On my original windows 10 install, I backed up the entire “%AppData%\Local\Plex Media Server”
Backed up the registry keys located:
“HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Plex, Inc.\Plec Media Server”

After Win 10 Reinstall:
Installed Plex. Started Plex to create the folder structure. Killed the Plex Process.
Copied back the backed files and re-imported the Plex registry.
Restarted PC
Started Plex, signed in.
Clicked Settings / Server / Sign Out
Claimed Server
Killed Plex and relaunched.

I am now presented with “The Dashboard is empty”

Is there anything I am missing here? I can re-add the a library for my TV and Films. just I was hoping to keep the Watched status.

Any advice welcome!

Thanks

P

2

Did you shut down Plex server when you created the backup copy?
If you did not, the main database file is now destroyed.

You can try to put one of the backup databse files into its place.
https://support.plex.tv/articles/202485658-restore-a-database-backed-up-via-scheduled-tasks/

3

Thanks for the quick reply. I took two backups before wiping the drive. I am confident I did, but can’t be 100% sure.

I have looked in both backups in the plugin-in Support Databases folder and in one i have the following:

com.plexapp.plugins.library
com.plexapp.plugins.library.blobs.db

I have now uninstalled Plex as I was going to try again.

Once re-installed and copied back, where o do I need to place those two files?

Thanks

Andrew

4

  1. enable the display of file name extensions in Windows, so we both are talking about the same.

  2. the main plex database file is com.plexapp.plugins.library.db which is either missing in your backup or damaged.

Please read the linked article again. You are supposed to erase the com.plexapp.plugins.library.db file and rename one of the files which now have a date appended to their file name
e.g. com.plexapp.plugins.library.db-2014-04-19
to com.plexapp.plugins.library.db
These files are all within the same folder.

You are not supposed to change the folder.

All of this while Plex server is not running.

5

Thanks for the info. I gave it another shot from my original backup (glad I took two copies) followed the instructions and we are now good :slight_smile:libraries available including the watch status!

Thanks

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6

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