# Lost access to old PLEX data during reinstall **URL:** \ **Category:** Plex Media Server\ **Tags:** server-windows\ **Created:** [April 11, 2023, 2:49pm UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/lost-access-to-old-plex-data-during-reinstall/837514 "2023-04-11T14:49:36Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![ottawan2002\_yahoo\_com](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/9fc29f/32.png) [@ottawan2002\_yahoo\_com](https://forums.plex.tv/u/ottawan2002_yahoo_com)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2023, 2:49pm UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/lost-access-to-old-plex-data-during-reinstall/837514/1 "2023-04-11T14:49:36Z")
PLEX Media server Version 1.31.3.6868 My system drive C crashed. My media located on other drives are intact. I have backed up what was possible from drive C, before reformatting and putting the same Windows operating system as before. Then I installed the same version of PLEX server as before crash. When prompted about server “friendly name” I put different name then before (because I forgot the old server name). After server searched my media drives, I have now two sets of data libraries, the old configuration is shown with exclamation marks, and I have no access. The new library is missing my playlists and everything I have created manually in music library. I have try to salvage the old data, by reinstalling PLEX server again with old friendly name, but it did not work - the name was not changed, and PLEX Home is showing still the same configuration. I also have both servers listed on DEVICES page, but I am not authorized to access the old one. I was trying to search where my old data is located , but no success. Searching for %appdata%/ syntax does not show any results. Any advise? ---
**Author:** ![OttoKerner](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/plex/user_avatar/forums.plex.tv/ottokerner/32/10079_2.png) [@OttoKerner](https://forums.plex.tv/u/OttoKerner)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2023, 3:10pm UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/lost-access-to-old-plex-data-during-reinstall/837514/2 "2023-04-11T15:10:37Z")
> [@ottawan2002\_yahoo\_com](#): > > I have try to salvage the old data, by reinstalling PLEX server again with old friendly name, but it did not work This won’t bring back your old Plex database. All of that old data was stored on drive C: in the [Plex data folder](https://support.plex.tv/articles/202915258-where-is-the-plex-media-server-data-directory-located/). If you can’t salvage that, you’ll have to rebuild your whole server, unfortunately. ---
**Author:** ![ottawan2002\_yahoo\_com](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/9fc29f/32.png) [@ottawan2002\_yahoo\_com](https://forums.plex.tv/u/ottawan2002_yahoo_com)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2023, 4:10pm UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/lost-access-to-old-plex-data-during-reinstall/837514/3 "2023-04-11T16:10:58Z")
By “[plex data folder](https://support.plex.tv/articles/202915258-where-is-the-plex-media-server-data-directory-located/)” you mean the one in Program files? ---
**Author:** ![OttoKerner](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/plex/user_avatar/forums.plex.tv/ottokerner/32/10079_2.png) [@OttoKerner](https://forums.plex.tv/u/OttoKerner)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2023, 4:12pm UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/lost-access-to-old-plex-data-during-reinstall/837514/4 "2023-04-11T16:12:48Z")
No. Just click on the orange text. [https://support.plex.tv/articles/201539237-backing-up-plex-media-server-data/](https://support.plex.tv/articles/201539237-backing-up-plex-media-server-data/) ---
**Author:** ![ottawan2002\_yahoo\_com](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/9fc29f/32.png) [@ottawan2002\_yahoo\_com](https://forums.plex.tv/u/ottawan2002_yahoo_com)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2023, 12:53am UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/lost-access-to-old-plex-data-during-reinstall/837514/5 "2023-04-12T00:53:36Z")
Well, as I have mentioned in original post, I have lost drive C, I couldn’t boot from it to Windows. I have managed to copy most files from C, booting to DOS prompt and using Xcopy. command. But I did not backup registry and I don’t know where PLEX data supposed to be stored. I have already read the text from your link, but since I don’t have backup, and data location “vary”, I still don’t know, what the solution is. ---
**Author:** ![OttoKerner](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/plex/user_avatar/forums.plex.tv/ottokerner/32/10079_2.png) [@OttoKerner](https://forums.plex.tv/u/OttoKerner)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2023, 6:56am UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/lost-access-to-old-plex-data-during-reinstall/837514/6 "2023-04-12T06:56:27Z")
If you have lost the whole content of drive C, there is no solution I’m afraid. The [Plex data folder](https://support.plex.tv/articles/202915258-where-is-the-plex-media-server-data-directory-located/) is located on C by default. The environment variable `%LOCALAPPDATA%` resolves to something like `C:\Users\\AppData` Added wrinkle: `C:\Users\` is a hidden folder. ---
**Author:** ![system](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/plex/original/3X/2/a/2acb9765406f63293d357b4ec509ec39aa28f2ad.png) [@system](https://forums.plex.tv/u/system)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2023, 6:56am UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/lost-access-to-old-plex-data-during-reinstall/837514/7 "2023-07-11T06:56:38Z")
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