Problem:
My local Plex Media Server is running and accessible locally, but is completely invisible to Plex Web.
When accessing the server via its direct local IP, Plex Web only shows a remote shared server (MihirNAS).
My local server (“Shreepal’s Server”) does not appear and cannot be claimed.
Attempting setup results in:
“Setup is not allowed for shared servers”
Confirmed facts:
Server previously worked and was claimed
Local access works
Media and libraries exist on disk
Server is NOT listed under Authorized Devices
No LAN auth bypass, no proxy, no Docker Plex, no VPN
Thanks for confirming this is a soft-deleted server identity.
I understand the recommended fix is to run the UserCredentialReset script, and I’m willing to do so. However, I’m currently blocked on that path due to system access constraints on the QNAP:
The Plex Media Server is running correctly
I can access the QNAP web UI as a standard user
I do NOT have working SSH access as admin
The admin password is no longer available
A physical reset of the NAS is not an option in my environment
Given these constraints, is there a way for Plex to:
Fully detach / reset the server’s backend identity from my account
Or otherwise clear the soft-deleted state on your side
so that the server can be claimed again normally?
I’m happy to provide any identifiers or logs you need.
I understand that the recommended fix in this scenario is to run the UserCredentialReset script, and I’m willing to do that. However, I’m currently blocked from executing it due to system access constraints on the QNAP NAS:
Plex Media Server is running normally
The server is currently claimed and visible in my account
I can access the QNAP web UI as a standard user
I do not have working SSH access as admin
The admin password is no longer available
A physical reset of the NAS is not an option in my environment
Because of this, I’m unable to run the script locally.
Given these constraints, I wanted to ask whether Plex can assist from the backend side by either:
Fully detaching / resetting the server’s backend identity from my Plex account, or
Clearing the soft-deleted / stuck server state so that the server can be claimed again normally via app.plex.tv
I’m happy to provide any server identifiers, tokens, or logs you need to help with this.
Yes, QNAP prefers admin be disabled. In lieu of this, QNAP creates a standard user account with administrative privileges
– Standard user accounts (the main user) can administer the machine AND
– enable SSH and then SSH into the machine.
– The administrative user can also, when necessary, enable the ‘admin’ user account. (disabling again after the task(s) is completed)
I see a “Shreepal” server has been deleted from the account
I see a “Mihir” server is shared to this account.
For which server is the requested action?
Soft-deletion will automatically clear when the server is re-claimed.
Hard deletion is resolved when a completely new instance (new Preferences.xml) is created & populated
To answer your question directly: the requested action is for my local Plex Media Server running on a QNAP NAS, previously named “Shreepal’s Server.”
The “Mihir” server is a separate, remote server that is shared to my account and is not related to this issue.
My goal is to re-claim the existing QNAP Plex Media Server instance so that it is correctly associated with my account and shared users can authenticate normally again. I am not intentionally trying to create a new server unless it’s confirmed that the existing instance is in a hard-deleted or unrecoverable state.
From your backend view, it appears the “Shreepal” server may have been soft-deleted. However, I’m not currently seeing a clean re-claim prompt via app.plex.tv, and shared users continue to receive “Not authorized” errors.
Before proceeding with any local reset steps, could you please confirm whether:
– This server identity should self-clear upon re-claim, or
– It is effectively in a hard-deleted state that requires creating a new instance (new Preferences.xml).
I’m happy to provide machine identifier, logs, or any other details you need.
SSH into the QNAP as your regular username (or admin if not disabled)
sudo bash
type: cd /share/*/.qpkg/Ple*/Li*/Ple*
This puts you in the Plex Media Server directory where your metadata is stored
rm Preferences.xml
This removes the old identity information the machine had.
You now have the choice of two methods to startup and claim the server
Claim it
– If on the same subnet LAN, Start Plex and open it by its LAN IP address (http)
– If on a different subnet or remote from it, use the UserCredentialReset tool linked below. The README.md shows how it looks on QNAP.
When claiming, you will be prompted to follow the normal first-run sequence (Setup Wizard).
DO NOT create new library sections. The sections you’ve defined will be presented and be listed as part of the Setup Wizard.
Make any basic settings you wish as you proceed through the wizard.
When DONE, you’ll arrive at the dashboard. Your library sections will be there waiting for you.
As this is now a new server instance, you will need to setup the library sharing you previously had.
If you’ve used the claim tool, when PMS restarts, it will again be your server.
Thanks again for your guidance so far. I wanted to give a precise update after following your last instructions end-to-end, and flag where things still seem to break down.
What I’ve done (QNAP / QuTS hero):
Plex Media Server fully hard-deleted from my Plex account (as you confirmed earlier)
Plex stopped cleanly via App Center
SSH as admin
Navigated to the Plex metadata directory under
/share/…/.qpkg/PlexMediaServer/Library
Removed Preferences.xml only (no other metadata or databases touched)
Restarted Plex from App Center
On same LAN, opened Plex via local IP (http://NAS_IP:32400/web)
Observed behavior:
On first access, Plex presents the normal “Sign in / approve this server” screen
I sign in successfully with my Plex account
Immediately after approval, the UI reloads and reverts to “Not authorized”
The server does not remain claimed and continues to behave like a shared / foreign server
I’ve repeated this with:
Clean browser sessions (incognito)
Multiple restarts
Confirmed Plex service is enabled and running
Confirmed I’m using the same Plex account that originally owned the server
At this point it feels like the claim is briefly accepted but not persisted.
Two possibilities I’m wondering about (QNAP-specific):
Is it possible Plex is regenerating Preferences.xml but failing to persist the owner token due to a permission / ownership issue on QNAP?
Is there any chance Plex is reading/writing identity data from a second location on QNAP (e.g. Library vs Library/Plex Media Server), causing the deleted Preferences.xml not to be the one actually in use?
I can attach screenshots showing:
The Plex approval screen
The immediate “Not authorized” state after sign-in
Happy to provide logs or UUIDs if useful. Just wanted to sanity-check whether there’s an additional QNAP-specific identity or permission reset step needed beyond removing Preferences.xml.
This message is Plex telling you it’s not THEIR server. (which it isn’t. It’s YOUR server.. hahaha) It’s the Anti-phishing warning. (seems lame but is what it is)
If you click OK here, you should get into the sign in and claiming.
If not, we use SSH and my UserCredentialReset script to claim it via the command line.
You want to read the README.md. It tells you what to do AND features an example of how it looks on QNAP.
TL;DR -
Download the script .sh file
Upload directly to Public shared folder (Don’t use Windows to edit it. it will get messed up)
Chuck — this finally cracked it. Your UserCredentialReset script + guidance worked exactly as described. Server is claimed, authorized, and fully functional again.
Huge thanks for sticking with this and for building tools that actually solve the real-world edge cases. Plex community is lucky to have you.
