Library won't show up after Crash and move

Plex Media Server
1

Server Version#: 1.24.5.5173-8dcc73a59

Hello,
I’ve been trying to get my Server running again for about a week, but it just will not work. My computer was destroyed after the latest windows-update and would not boot up. My only chance was to reinstall windows from start up. I was able to save the “Plex media server” folder in users\appdata\local\plex media server, but I was not able to save the registry. Now after reinstalling windows I installed plex media server. I started the server and exited out of it. I then overwrote the newly created “plex media server” with my old files from the same folder, including the “cache” folder. It’s a few GB full of data.

After restarting Plex, I get the massage “updating library, please wait…” and I was hopeful that I would soon have my old plex back, but then it asked my to choose a name for plex and start creating media media libraries.

When plex opens, none of the old library is there. The old “users” and “friends” show up though in the settings. Also the old plugins are there too, but not the media-libraries.

I would be very greatful for any help for I am in despair and hopeless for a successfull recovery by my self.

I tried several ways now, deinstalling and reinstalling Plex, logged in and logged out.

Thank you for reading my super long message.

Saru

ps. I also tried to set the LocalAppDataPath to “C:\Users\info\AppData\Local” where the plex media folder is located, but was not able to redirect the ‘Plex Updater Service’ because such an entry cannot be found in the registry. Also, by looking at the screenshot here
https://forums.plex.tv/t/howto-an-extended-guide-on-how-to-move-the-plex-data-folder-on-windows/197060
I saw a file called preferences.xml which I don’t have.
I copied all files with robocopy, so I don’t believe I had such a file at the old machine, but cannot be sure? robocopy should have compared old and new files.

There must be something I am doing wrong.

The harddrives is formated in NTFS

2

Save the Preferences.xml file from your backup, if there is one.
You can use the information in it to restore the old registry data, if that is important to you.

The primary database file is probably damaged, if the Plex server was running during the crash.
You can try to restore one of the backup copies:

3

Thank you for your help. That didn’t work though. I tried it like the link said and also tried this with the two backupfiles being the only files in that directory. I still do not see any libraries in my plex. The preferences.xml I didn’t have so I didn’t restore the old registry data. Can you think of anything else?
Thanks again for answering and helping.

4

Have you removed the LocalAppDataPath from the registry again?

5

Hello,
I think that did the trick. Now I don’t see any pictures, but that might be because windows reads the external drives with different drive-letters. That can be fixed. At least I see all the libraries when opening “more”.
Thank you so much.

6

You can and should restore the drive letters as they were before. It saves a ton of headaches. How to assign permanent letters to drives on Windows 10 | Windows Central

7

Thank you, I did just that. Still won’t show any thumbnails, but at least I have all libraries back. Thank you so much for the help. It is hightly appreciated.

8

That’s pretty much normal, because copying the backup files won’t restore the symlinks, which are used to link the selected high-res poster file.
You will need to perform a full “Refresh Metadata” for all libraries.

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Thank you.

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