My Plex Server is randomly shutting down, requiring frequent manual Stop/Start

[AdminRTD]

Server Version#: 1.32.8.7639
Player Version#:Multiple
QNAP TS-251D

My server has been running very well for almost 3 years. No stability issues at all, until I upgraded my 2 8tb Raid 1 hard drives to 20tb hard drives about a month ago. The update seemed to go smoothly but Plex has been very unstable ever since. It seems to lose communication to all local and remote Players. It may go several days between incidents, or it might occur several times in any given day. Either a server reboot or a manual Stop/Start of the PMS will get it back online. No known issues with any other Apps.

I can’t think of any other changes that were made before the issue started but I have made the following changes since then:

• Retired the TS-251D to lighter duty, migrated the 2 20tb hard drives to a TS-464-8G. No issues with the migration and all other apps are functioning normally. No change to Plex stability issue.

• Upgraded internet service from Xfinity 500MB/10MB to EzeeFiber 1G/1G. Retained Static IP settings. No issues, no change to Plex stability issue.

I know just enough to be a little dangerous but I was wondering if reinstalling the app can be done without losing all of my metadata? Everything I’ve read suggests that I would need uninstall & reinstall, which would lose all data. Any help is greatly appreciated. Log files attached.

Thanks,

Bob
Plex Media Server Logs_2024-01-21_10-45-40.zip (4.4 MB)

[ChuckPa]

You made a mistake in one of your media library folder lists.

It looks like you’re taking all of CACHEDEV1_DATA.
This is incorrect.

It’s driving PMS nuts!!

Here you see it trying to index the software itself. Error

Jan 21, 2024 10:43:56.347 [139778025732920] DEBUG - [Notify] Now watching "/share/CACHEDEV1_DATA/.qpkg/MediaSignPlayer/CodexPackExt/share/Multimedia/Audio/Van Halen/Van Halen - Van Halen (Remastered)(1978)"
Jan 21, 2024 10:43:56.378 [139778025732920] DEBUG - [Notify] Now watching "/share/CACHEDEV1_DATA/.qpkg/MediaSignPlayer/CodexPackExt/share/Multimedia/Audio/Van Halen/Van Halen - Van Halen II (Remastered)(1979)"
Jan 21, 2024 10:43:56.393 [139778025732920] DEBUG - [Notify] Now watching "/share/CACHEDEV1_DATA/.qpkg/MediaSignPlayer/CodexPackExt/share/Multimedia/Audio/Van Halen/Van Halen - Van Halen III(1998)"
Jan 21, 2024 10:43:56.394 [139778025732920] DEBUG - [Notify] Now watching "/share/CACHEDEV1_DATA/.qpkg/MediaSignPlayer/CodexPackExt/share/Multimedia/Audio/Van Halen/Van Halen - Women and Children First (Remastered)(1980)"
Jan 21, 2024 10:43:56.424 [139778025732920] DEBUG - [Notify] Now watching "/share/CACHEDEV1_DATA/.qpkg/MediaSignPlayer/CodexPackExt/share/Multimedia/Audio/Kajagoogoo"
Jan 21, 2024 10:43:56.436 [139778025732920] DEBUG - [Notify] Now watching "/share/CACHEDEV1_DATA/.qpkg/MediaSignPlayer/CodexPackExt/share/Multimedia/Audio/Kajagoogoo/Kajagoogoo And Limahl - The Very Best Of (2003)"
Jan 21, 2024 10:43:56.460 [139778025732920] DEBUG - [Notify] Now watching "/share/CACHEDEV1_DATA/.qpkg/MediaSignPlayer/CodexPackExt/share/Multimedia/Audio/Kajagoogoo/Kajagoogoo And Limahl - The Very Best Of (2003)/Artwork"
Jan 21, 2024 10:43:56.473 [139778025732920] DEBUG - [Notify] Now watching "/share/CACHEDEV1_DATA/.qpkg/MediaSignPlayer/CodexPackExt/share/Multimedia/Audio/Avenged Sevenfold"
Jan 21, 2024 10:43:56.488 [139778025732920] DEBUG - [Notify] Now watching "/share/CACHEDEV1_DATA/.qpkg/MediaSignPlayer/CodexPackExt/share/Multimedia/Audio/Avenged Sevenfold/Avenged Sevenfold"
Jan 21, 2024 10:43:56.528 [139778025732920] DEBUG - [Notify] Now watching "/share/CACHEDEV1_DATA/.qpkg/MediaSignPlayer/CodexPackExt/share/Multimedia/Audio/Billy Idol"
Jan 21, 2024 10:43:56.549 [139778025732920] DEBUG - [Notify] Now watching "/share/CACHEDEV1_DATA/.qpkg/MediaSignPlayer/CodexPackExt/share/Multimedia/Audio/Billy Idol/Charmed Life"
Jan 21, 2024 10:43:56.581 [139778025732920] DEBUG - [Notify] Now watching "/share/CACHEDEV1_DATA/.qpkg/MediaSignPlayer/CodexPackExt/share/Multimedia/Audio/Billy Idol/Cyberpunk"
Jan 21, 2024 10:43:56.660 [139778025732920] DEBUG - [Notify] Now watching "/share/CACHEDEV1_DATA/.qpkg/MediaSignPlayer/CodexPackExt/share/Multimedia/Audio/Billy Idol/(2001) - Billy Idol - Greatest Hits [16Bit-44.1kHz]"
Jan 21, 2024 10:43:56.671 [139778025732920] DEBUG - [Notify] Now watching "/share/CACHEDEV1_DATA/.qpkg/MediaSignPlayer/CodexPackExt/share/Multimedia/Audio/Bow Wow Wow"
Jan 21, 2024 10:43:56.725 [139778025732920] DEBUG - [Notify] Now watching "/share/CACHEDEV1_DATA/.qpkg/MediaSignPlayer/CodexPackExt/share/Multimedia/Audio/Bow Wow Wow/Bow Wow Wow - 1989 - The Best Of Bow Wow Wow-SHAREGO-SASHABLUE-{SECTION8}"
Jan 21, 2024 10:43:56.772 [139778025732920] DEBUG - [Notify] Now watching "/share/CACHEDEV1_DATA/.qpkg/MediaSignPlayer/CodexPackExt/share/Multimedia/Audio/Terence Trent Darby"
Jan 21, 2024 10:43:56.786 [139778025732920] DEBUG - [Notify] Now watching "/share/CACHEDEV1_DATA/.qpkg/MediaSignPlayer/CodexPackExt/share/Multimedia/Audio/Terence Trent Darby/Terence Trent Darby-Introducing The Hardline According To Terence Trent Darby-1987-kl"
Jan 21, 2024 10:43:56.803 [139778025732920] DEBUG - [Notify] Now watching "/share/CACHEDEV1_DATA/.qpkg/MediaSignPlayer/CodexPackExt/share/Multimedia/Audio/Starland Vocal Band"
Jan 21, 2024 10:43:56.825 [139778025732920] DEBUG - [Notify] Now watching "/share/CACHEDEV1_DATA/.qpkg/MediaSignPlayer/CodexPackExt/share/Multimedia/Audio/Starland Vocal Band/Starland Vocal Band"
Jan 21, 2024 10:43:56.895 [139778025732920] DEBUG - [Notify] Now watching "/share/CACHEDEV1_DATA/.qpkg/MediaSignPlayer/CodexPackExt/share/Multimedia/Audio/Nikki Lane"
Jan 21, 2024 10:43:56.911 [139778025732920] DEBUG - [Notify] Now watching "/share/CACHEDEV1_DATA/.qpkg/MediaSignPlayer/CodexPackExt/share/Multimedia/Audio/Nikki Lane/Nikki Lane - Highway Queen (2017) [Mp3~320Kbps]"
Jan 21, 2024 10:43:56.942 [139778025732920] DEBUG - [Notify] Now watching "/share/CACHEDEV1_DATA/.qpkg/MediaSignPlayer/CodexPackExt/share/Multimedia/Audio/Nikki Lane/Nikki Lane - Highway Queen (2017) [Mp3~320Kbps]/Nikki Lane -

[AdminRTD]

I’m not sure I’m understanding what you’re saying. The log info that you listed is all from my music library. I checked the settings and the only folder that I have specified for my music library is “/share/CACHEDEV1_DATA/.qpkg/MediaSignPlayer/CodexPackExt/share/Multimedia/Audio”. I checked all other libraries and I think everything is a subfolder of CACHEDEV1_DATA. Is there another setting somewhere that specifies the CACHEDEV1_DATA root directory? Or am I somehow supposed to access my Multimedia folders from somewhere other than CACHEDEV1_DATA?

[AdminRTD]

I think I see your point now. I have 2 libraries where the path to the media folder is much longer than the others. “/share/CACHEDEV1_DATA/.qpkg/MediaSignPlayer/CodexPackExt/share/Multimedia/Audio” could be shortened to “/share/CACHEDEV1_DATA/Multimedia/Audio”. I don’t know how or why there are 2 libraries like this but I am testing the correction on my TV Shows library since I have much less metadata to worry about there. I’ve added the shorter path and will delete the longer path after it’s finished processing, hopefully keeping my data. I’ll then do the same thing to my Music library. Hopefully the fix was this easy. Thank you very much, and please let me know if I’m heading the wrong direction.

[ChuckPa]

On QNAP, using CodexPack / Multimedia is VERY dangerous.

You run into unexpected problems like this.

If you want to use Codex Pack and Multimedia, the safest way has always been to point PMS directly at the shared folder(s) which you create (They are real folders and not a software construction which changes constantly)

A common convention is to create a “media” shared folder.
Under that “media” shared folder, create subfolders as you need for different media/library sections.

If you’re using JBOD management, You’ll likely have “media1”, “media2”, etc. This is expected and also works well.

[AdminRTD]

I’m not using JBOD, & I don’t even know what Codex Pack is so I didn’t use it intentionally. All of my files are currently organized into subfolders of Multimedia (Audio, Movies, TV etc.) Are you saying that I should create a new Media share that is somehow separate from Cachedev1, or am I ok as long as I don’t use the longer path to Multimedia that includes the extra CodexPackExt routing? I tried creating the Media share within File Station and it still shows up under Cachedev1 when I get to the Plex setup, just like my current Multimedia folder. I don’t mind doing the work if it will improve performance &/or stability but I’m not clear on the difference between the Media folder that you’re suggesting and the Multimedia folder that I currently have.

[ChuckPa]

This is what I see in your logs (above)

@ChuckPa

/MediaSignPlayer/CodexPackExt/

You’ll see this/these pieces in App Center. They’re part of what you installed.

As for reorganizing your media,

The best way we’ve found with QNAP is, as I stated, to create separate share(s) and then move the media from one location to the other(s).

• One big shared folder with subfolders as needed
  —or—
• Separate shared folder(s) for each library type

What’s MOST IMPORTANT –

1. It makes sense to YOU
2. It’s both logical and intuitive to YOU

PMS doesn’t care so do what you want / whatever is easiest for you to manage & maintain.

If i may suggest? Consider this:

1. You have Music, Regular movies, Kids movies, Regular TV, Kids TV, and Photos Library sections.

2. One way of organizing this (although you can do whatever you want) would be with a “Media” shared folder and sub-folders for each sub-grouping :

/share/CACHEDEV1_DATA/Media/
  Movies/
    Movie1 (year)/
    .
    .

  Kids Movies/

  TV/

  Kids TV/

  Music/

  Photos/

The first step would be to create the shared folder and subfolders.

Next, we would ADD each new folder path to an existing library section so PMS knows about it (e.g. add /share/CACHEDEV1_DATA/Media/TV to the “TV” library section)

When all the sections have been updated to look at both the existing and the new locations is when we do the moving:

1. Settings - Server - Library - (Show Advanced if not already showing)
   – Turn off “Automatically detect”
   – Turn off “Empty Trash at the end”
   (These keep your existing metadata and watch history from being lost in the move)

2. Using FileStation, one category folder at a time, Move from Multimedia to the new correct location under Media

3. As you finish moving each Section’s media over, go into that section and “Scan files” so PMS updates where the files are now.

===============================================================

To show you how it looks on my QNAP ,

1. I have one shared folder “media”. Everything exists below that as subfolders.
   I can make as many as I want and add each sub-folder to PMS as my needs change.

2. Movies section. (I have two movies sub-foldders; current and old/archive)
   

   

3. I do the same for TV as well but name and group it differently.
   I also have dedicated “Cartoons” and “Cooking” tv library sections.
   

   

There is a lot to think about here.

I recommend sketching it out on a piece of paper and writing the new pathnames.
See if it all makes sense to you when you look at it.

I’ll answer any and all questions you have.

Take your time. It’s important to get it right the first time and not mess up, confuse, or lose, media.