Mayday : Media server can't find database

Plex Media Server Desktops & Laptops
1

Hello,

Last tuesday there was an update that suppressed the link to my database. So I removed 4 entries that had to do with tokens in the registry, as indicated by Plex’s guide, reinstalled the newest versions of plex server and player and I did reset my password but now Plex server won’t open from the taskbar (page keeps refreshing on getting ready) and still can’t find my media or server. I tried to connect with my IDs on my wife’s computer but the account can’t find the server either.

I had a playlist that took me 2 years to build so I’d like to recover my database…
Any idea ? I’m desperate, thanks a lot

Chris
Server Version#: PlexMediaServer-1.32.3.7192-7aa441827-x86_64(1)
Player Version#: not reinstalled yet

2

These are the entries I suppressed
PlexOnlineHome
PlexOnlineMail
PlexOnlineToken
PlexOnlineUsername
https://support.plex.tv/articles/204281528-why-am-i-locked-out-of-server-settings-and-how-do-i-get-in/

3

See New Claiming Requirement for Windows

2 Likes
4

Thanks a lot, I tried to claim by signing on plex.tv and when I tryed to claim my server with Setup Plex.html in the %LOCALAPPDATA%\Plex Media Server folder but the page keeps on refreshing like before. When I click on the plex app in the tray now the server appears but still can’t find the server. Maybe I should try to mess with the registry, I feel confused ( add this enableLocalSecurity key to the Plex Media Server registry entry with a value of False) but I wonder.

5

See Windows reinstall, No Server Settings, Cannot Make a New Server

2 Likes
6

Thanks a lot. I just reinstalled an clone from monday but I still had the same issues so I tried the 2.2 method, Reg modifications were done but databases are still gone. I can’t find Setup Plex.html in %LOCALAPPDATA%\Plex Media Server now, that’s odd. Should I try the second method ? Like deleting again these entries ? Thank you so much for answering me

7

It’ll only be there if the server is currently running and is unclaimed. And if the server software version is at least at the version number mentioned in the “new claiming requirement” post.

1 Like
8

I guess it’s not possible to create a new account and link it to my existing database, is it ?

9

It is possible, but I am pretty sure that doing so won’t help you.

1 Like
10

So the version of my Plex media player is 4.29.2 (I had deleted it but I reinstalled the clone) and the server version is the last one available PlexMediaServer-1.32.3.7192-7aa441827-x86_64. What should I do now ? Any idea left ? Thank you so much

11

Did you switch the Windows user account which you are using to log onto your computer?

Have you previously moved the plex data folder to a custom location?

1 Like
12

Switch you mean I changed the windows account ? No it’s the same one. And indeed yes the data folder is on my F:/. Does it imply something special ? Thanks a lot

13

Then inspect the Windows registry and look for the LocalAppData key. Verify that it’s still there and pointing to the right drive letter and folder. [HowTo] An extended guide on how to move the Plex data folder on Windows

If everything is OK with the registry, verify that the drive F: is still healthy and accessible.
It must not be filled to the brim.
Look for your server’s log files on F:
There ought to be a Logs folder. See if one of the Plex Media Server.log files contains the word “malformed”. If that’s the case, the database file is damaged.

1 Like
14

Registry path is OK and none of the plexmedia server.log (five of them) contains the word malformed…

15

And you looked for it on F: , right?

1 Like
16

Well, you are right. So I just did on f:/ and when I click on it, I have the server that keeps on initializing, not refreshing the page like it used to do but it can’t initialize.
Do you know if it’s possible to export a playlist (from an older clone) and get it back if I reinstall the whole computer ?
Thank you so much for your answers

17

Unfortunately not, to my knowledge.
You could transfer the whole database file.
If your new server setup uses the exact same drive letters, folder names, and file names for all the media, you can re-use an old database file.
All that’s lost are posters and the various “analysis” data, but playlists should remain as they are stored in the database file.

1 Like
18

Is there anything special to do or I just indicate to Plex player where my Plex database is located ? I’m not sure about the latest player version, I had the impression that some setup options were missing but not sure it worked properly either. A thousand thanks Otto.

19

This is all about the server, not the player.

You create a new plex data folder. (and/or rename the old one)
Set up a new server.
Tell it to use the new (still empty) folder as its data folder.

Once the new server is running and working, shut it down. Then copy the .db files from the old data folder into the new data folder (into the same subfolder), overwriting the existing (but still very small) .db files in there.
Start the new server. See what happens.

1 Like
20

Thanks a lot.
I was thinking about something : when I created my plex account, I first created 2 accounts, one by email and the other with google or Facebook I think, I can’t remember why. I had issues. These were not on one account but on 2 separate. Would my problem come from that ?