I’ve replicated this three times, but it seems the server is a little aggressive as to when it wants to re-scan the music library.
I’m using a windows 10 server, and all I have to do is use the windows file manager to navigate to a folder with in the music directory. Almost immediately, it sets off a scan of the complete library, which by the looks of it, goes through it at least twice.
Eventually it will stop, but perhaps by coincidence, only if I close the windows file manager, or navigate away from the folder the library is pointed to.
To be clear, I haven’t modified, renamed, or deleted any files. Just looking. Is this expected?
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Hmmm… didn’t stop the last time. Had to shut down the server. Pretty sure it was on its 4th round, looking at the alerts screen in settings. Would logs be of any benefit?
Plex Media Server Logs_2019-10-02_17-18-14.zip (7.6 MB)
Windows’ file explorer can generate previews when you navigate into a folder.
Which then change the folder ‘modified’ timestamp.
Which then triggers the Plex library scan.
To avoid this, disable the ‘automatic library update’ while you are doing extensive library modifications.
Could be, and I’m aware of that nasty habit, but I didn’t modify any files, only browsed to the main music folder. I didn’t see that condition happen with the old system, and I’ve been mostly working on the Music library for the last 6 months, so there has been a lot of file moving and modifications happening.
I’ll report back if the problem persists, but I hope I don’t have to turn off the automatic library updates every time I add new music. Then it’s a manual scan, which in effect id a full library scan – the same thing, no?
manual or automatic scan don’t differ in this regard.
I still find Plex being in an endless loop of scanning and re-scanning the entire Music folder if I navigate to any directory within that folder with windows file explorer. I changed changed the embedded tags of the files in one or two folders, (total of about 20 files) which set off a scan of the complete library.
I would expect a scan of the affected folders, and even the folder above it, but not the entire library.
I do have automatic scans enabled, and I expect the automatic scan to work the same way it does for TV and Movies. I tried cancelling the scan in the settings menu of Plex web, it stopped for a few seconds, and started over again. The automatic scan works flawlessly for other typed of libraries, and turning off automatic scans means I would have to do a manual scan for all types of media each time something is added. I really don’t want to do that, because Plex is supposed to run a partial scan “When changes to library folders are detected, only scan the folder that changed.”
I appreciate @OttoKerner 's suggestion that the windows file explorer can modify the timestamp, but I’m at a loss as to how I can add new music to Plex, or just about anything else, without using the file explorer. I don’t really want to use old fashioned DOS commands. 
I’m attaching another set of logs, just gathered, before I shut down the server so I can stop the endless, repetitive scan of the music directory.
Plex Media Server Logs_2019-10-03_06-41-43.zip (6.4 MB)
Apparently, I have some setting wrong, because I still find the server in an endless loop that scans the entire music library when only one file has changed. About an hour ago, I changed the poster (folder.jpg) for one album, did a refresh metadata for that album only, which set off the complete scan of the library. I haven’t looked at the logs, but I’m sure it’s on it’s 4th round of scanning, watching the “alerts” as it scrolls thru.
My settings are:
Scan my library automatically: ENABLED
Run a partial scan when changes are detected: ENABLED
Scan my library periodically: DISABLED
Empty trash automatically after every scan: DISABLED
Allow media deletion: DISABLED
Any assistance appreciated.
EDIT: the scanning loop only happens in the music library. The other libraries, TV, Movies, etc seem to only scan the folder with the change, and then stop almost instantly. I would expect the music library to do the same thing with the settings I have.
This is getting more than annoying Any suggestions @OttoKerner ? I added a total of 6 files to the music library at about 3:30 AM this morning. It’s now 5:30 AM, and the scanning of the music library hasn’t stopped.
I’m attaching another set of logs. The only way I can stop this continuous looping of repetitive scans is to close the server and restart. If there is an error I can look for in the logs that I can repair (something not matching properly perhaps) I will try to repair that.
Thanks for any insight.
Plex Media Server Logs_2019-10-13_05-03-33.zip (5.6 MB)
To add, I don’t have iTunes installed, so it isn’t touching or changing files. I’ve even un-installed the Window media player several month ago, so it doesn’t create those annoying hidden thumbnail images.
Go on the hunt for folders which have more than 50 tracks in it.
Do you mean an artist folder with more than 50 tracks, or an album with more than 50 tracks? I don’t think I have an album with more than 50 tracks, but I’m sure there are artists with more than that. Various Artists comes to mind right away.
If that’s the problem, and it is a total of tracks under an Artist, how do I repair that? I’m probably a little thick and frustrated, but it’s not obvious to me. 
No, I mean literally folders in media storage.
Of course you are supposed to have each album in its own subfolder, but can you guarantee that?
LOL – I’m 99.999% certain that there are no stray files outside of an album, and each album is under an artist folder. I will check, but since I’ve been slowly re-doing the whole library over the last 6 months (new library, not an updated one), I’ve been diligent in making sure everything is in the Artist-Album-Tracks structure.
Thanks, I’m hunting down any strays that might have accidentally found their way into the file structure.
So, I’ve spent several hours going through the music library directory, looking for misplaced files. So far, none, but I’m a long way from getting thru it all. I’ve also spent some time looking for a similar problem on the forum here.
I found one thread about how to use the “Unmatched” filter. I had never looked for it because all of my albums were falling under the correct artist, so I assumed they were matched. To my surprise, there are close to 400 out of about 2000 albums.
Some of those are albums not on the MusicBrainz website, even though they are (I thought) common albums. Others I wouldn’t expect to be there - they are old albums I’ve ripped from vinyl (K-Tel compilations, etc) and a lot of them are singles I’ve ripped from old 45 RPM’s. They are all legitimate releases, listed on Discogs, and other websites, just not available at MB.
Is it possible the scanner is trying to match those albums and singles? The unmatched ones I checked have the artist identified by the Plex agent, but the album and track are set to “local” under the guid.
Here’s the XML for the 45 RPM single “Four Strong Winds” by Neil Young:
FourStrongWinds.xml.txt (2.2 KB)
If I understand the XML, the artist is identified properly by the Plex music agent, but the album and track are not.
Surely I don’t need to have every album (including singles) matched perfectly and available at MB, and at some point, shouldn’t the server give up trying to match it? I think with the old music libraries, it was suggested (possibly by you) that singles could be added in the same that albums are added. I don’t know how that was all worked out behind the scenes, and which guid was assigned to them, but I’m darn sure my server didn’t go into a never ending scan whenever one of those “unmatchable” items were added.
Plex does seem to keep repeating to match unmatched content every time the music library is rescanned.
Lord, I hope this doesn’t affect us Peons with ‘Wrong Side of the Tracks - Basic’ Music… I haven’t had the pleasure of adding any new Music as recently as would have been done under the ‘new management’. I’m kinda afraid what’s gonna happen now…
(there’s your bump - @leelynds)
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I have avoided music rescans/rematching by disabling ‘Scan my library periodically’
but I agree this behavior (constantly trying to match unmatchables after every rescan) is not desirable.
Well, I have never had that one enabled.
I did basically abandon most interactions with Last-FM by preferring local metadata and embedding covers in every album - and I can’t be happier - I hope my happiness doesn’t turn to manic-depression…lol
No, Problem - how many years do you want this at the top?
I’m here to help, buddy…lol
