Mac Server is failing to launch

Plex Media Server Desktops & Laptops
1

Server Version#: 1.18.0.1846-f62172e99
Player Version#: Any

Hi
My computer stuffed up so I needed to do time machine and use a previously saved backup.
While everything works fine now, I can’t seem to launch the Plex Server anymore. The icon will show up on the top right corner for a split second and disappear. Looking at Activity monitor it’ll show as loading briefly then disappear.
I’ve done the usual reinstall of the server but that has not helped. Any ideas?

2

is it creating new logs at all?

3

Hi
It’s created a crash log under diagnostics and two ‘crash uploader’ logs under Plex Media Server created around the time the Mac was fully restored from Time Machine

4

so the time stamps of the crash logs are not at times you tried to launch it after the time machine. If you try right now, will it create a new crash log?

5

Hi
It’s created 3 ‘Plex Media Server’ logs from my three attempts this morning to open the application

6

can you see the last thing it was doing in the log?

when you reinstalled did you wipe out everything or just change out the Plex Media Server.app in the applications folder? if you only change the app then the preferences may still be there. i iahve seen in the past one reason it may not start is a corrupted plist file.

  1. Quit the server if it is running.
  2. can you go to Macintosh ~/ Library/Preferences⁩/
  3. move the com.plexapp.plexmediaserver.plist to your desktop
  4. restart your commputer
  5. try to launch PMS again

That file contains all the advanced preferences. it will ask you to sign in and may act like it is a fresh install. Sign in but just skip all the steps for creating libraries and such. don’t let it create new libraries for you. (Unless the issue is your database is all screwed up your libraries and such will still be there.)

7

Hi
The last thing it says on the log is database disk is malformed for SQL and error unable to set up server
I also can’t find that .plist file anywhere (even when I search through all the .plist files on my Mac)
It’s looking likely I’ll have to start from scratch - if that becomes the case I’ll need instructions on completely wiping all Plex related stuff from my system to install as though I’m a new user

8

the Library folder is hidden both links below have info on how to get to it.

if you have a corrupt/malformed DB you can try restoring a back up if you have them https://support.plex.tv/articles/202485658-restore-a-database-backed-up-via-scheduled-tasks/

info on how to completely uninstall. https://support.plex.tv/articles/201941078-uninstall-plex-media-server/

9

And just like that by restoring the backup library from a few days ago it has fixed the problem.
Not sure how it got fixed per se but it got fixed!
Thanks for your help!

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10

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