macOS - random crashing without active load/users

Plex Media Server Desktops & Laptops
1

Server Version#: 1.40.1.8173
M1 Mac Mini - 8GB - 512GB @macOS 14.4

My pms is crashing randomly since months, nothing was changed aside the usual OS updates, it seems that the frequency is climbing, but most of the time there are a minimum of 2 crashes a day.
I’ve repaired the database and checked the logs, but there is really nothing to find.
The only suspicous thing is, that there are a lot of webservice calls before the server dies:

Mar 12, 2024 17:00:24.433 [0x16d2c3000] DEBUG - [ViewStateSync] Reading 100 states
Mar 12, 2024 17:00:24.447 [0x16d2c3000] DEBUG - [ViewStateSync] Getting state
Mar 12, 2024 17:00:24.448 [0x16d2c3000] DEBUG - [ViewStateSync/HCl#2ab] HTTP requesting GET https://scrobbles.plex.tv/state/697831?after=MTcwNjEyODA0NDk5MC02MmQ5NjRjODcwMGU0NGU1ODYzNThhMzM%3D&count=100
Mar 12, 2024 17:00:24.514 [0x16d9df000] DEBUG - [HttpClient/HCl#2ab] HTTP/2.0 (0.1s) 200 response from GET https://scrobbles.plex.tv/state/697831?after=MTcwNjEyODA0NDk5MC02MmQ5NjRjODcwMGU0NGU1ODYzNThhMzM%3D&count=100 (reused)
Mar 12, 2024 17:00:24.514 [0x16d2c3000] DEBUG - [ViewStateSync] Reading 100 states
Mar 12, 2024 17:00:24.528 [0x16d2c3000] DEBUG - [ViewStateSync] Getting state
Mar 12, 2024 17:00:24.528 [0x16d2c3000] DEBUG - [ViewStateSync/HCl#2ac] HTTP requesting GET https://scrobbles.plex.tv/state/697831?after=MTcwNzUwOTc1MTIxNC02MmQ5NjRjOTcwMGU0NGU1ODYzNWE4NTI%3D&count=100
Mar 12, 2024 17:00:24.612 [0x16d9df000] DEBUG - [HttpClient/HCl#2ac] HTTP/2.0 (0.1s) 200 response from GET https://scrobbles.plex.tv/state/697831?after=MTcwNzUwOTc1MTIxNC02MmQ5NjRjOTcwMGU0NGU1ODYzNWE4NTI%3D&count=100 (reused)
Mar 12, 2024 17:00:24.613 [0x16d2c3000] DEBUG - [ViewStateSync] Reading 75 states
Mar 12, 2024 17:00:24.623 [0x16d2c3000] DEBUG - [ViewStateSync] Done getting states

I had even memory dumps on the webserver part, but they got solved after the first db repair in the past.

Here are the logs, pms died “Mar 12, 2024 17:00” and was restarted “Mar 13, 2024 22:30”, logs are until the restart.
PMS_LOGS_2024-mar-13.zip (857.5 KB)

Additional crash logs from 14th march:
PMS_LOGS_2024-mar-14.zip (1.6 MB)

Here a little script against the struggle, you could schedule ist every few minutes as a crontab:
plex_watchguard.zip (338 Bytes)

Cheers

Edited by sa2000 to remove the dmp zip

1 Like
2

Thanks - Please also include the normal Plex Media Server Logs zip

I have got the files from above - removing the dmp zip as these should not be on forum

3

Alright, i thought the dmp from plex itself would be helpful, I’ve attached the required logs in the original post.

4

I have been encountering something very similar for last few months on Mac mini M2 with 8GB RAM. It was running fine since January of last year and then started acting up this year. It will randomly shuts off. It is very annoying having to restart it.

Thanks for providing the watch guard script. I will figure out what crontab is and how to schedule it.

5

crontab is similar to “Task Scheduler” in Windows.
open a terminal with the user that hosts plex.
type

crontab -e and afterwards i for insert.

add something similar to this:
(script runs every 2 minutes between 00:00-3:59 and 7:00-23:59, to not collide with the plex tasks and other things.

#Plex watchguard
*/2 0-3,7-23 * * * /Users/plex/scripts/plex_watchguard.sh >/dev/null 2>&1

afterwards use

:x to save and quit.

1 Like
6

I’ve added additional logs, a new crash happened today, let me know if other information’s are needed.

7

Thanks

I can see a second crash at this time
Mar 13, 2024 22:14:13

Could you zip the following files and send me by PM

/var/folders/3_/1q2150jd4fv9l4z9w777ctrw0000gn/T/735D2AE9-47B1-4BAF-9D23-BD6B80C36FD4.dmp
/var/folders/3_/1q2150jd4fv9l4z9w777ctrw0000gn/T/735D2AE9-47B1-4BAF-9D23-BD6B80C36FD4.log

I have seen this crash from a number of users but the cause is still not identified and we are unable to reproduce the issue

8

Unfortunately, the next crash happened, and the mentioned dump got overwritten, seems that there is only one dump kept. I’ve sent you a pm with the details.

11

Just found this thread and wanted to “me, too”.

12

I can see crash reports uploaded with the same crash

13

Sorry, meant to indicate I am experiencing unmotivated crashes on Mac OS X as well. If log dumps are useful, let me know and I’ll provide. Just had two crashes in the last five minutes. Using Plex is not as fun as it used to be.

14

FYI just updated to latest beta release indicating crash fix for Mac OS X. Plex Server crashed again less than three minutes after the upgrade.

Plex Media Server 1.40.1.8227 is now available to Plex Pass users in the Beta update channel.
FIXES:

  • (MacOS) Scanner would crash on startup on some versions of MacOS (#14785)
15

That crash fix was specifically to the Plex Media Scanner process and not Plex Media Server

16

any further ideas or things how we could support?
today pms crashed like 10 times and the day ain’t over

1 Like
17

I have started experiencing that also on my Mac Mini M1 16GB or Ram. I have had to restart it 3 times today.

18

Same problem for 2 weeks now, maybe related to macOS 14.4, can’t say for sure.
Plex Server 1.40.2.8312
macOS 14.4.1 now
Mac Studio M2 Max / 32 Gb of RAM.

Super annoying. :frowning:
And I don’t see something interesting in the logs…

19

My plex server started crashing randomly after installing macOS 14.4.1 yesterday, after years of working flawlessly. I skipped macOS 14.4. Plex server 1.40.1.8227, also crashed overnight with version 1.40.0.7998. Mac mini m1.

21

We are looking into it. it happens to me as well. The devs believe it is memory corruption so logs are not very useful unfortunately.

3 Likes
22

Thank you for the quick reply.

23

here’s my issue… same thing with me… like 5 times a day…

Plex Crash Uploader.1.log (2.6 KB)
Plex Media Server.1.log (7.6 MB)