New W10 server still connected to previous computer after migration

Plex Media Server
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1

Server Version#:Latest
Player Version#: Latest

I was able to migrate my server from one W10 computer to another within the same network.

The new machine is up and running with PMS running with a new name and reporting available.

However, I cannot connect to the new server… until I turn the original computer on - even though I uninstalled PMS from that computer. I shut the original computer off - and no longer have access.

It seems that there is something somewhere pointing to the original box - and I can’t find it.

Help?

2

Did you copy the registry entries over from the old machine?
If you did, can you give the new machine the same IP address which the old one had?

If you did not, you have to claim the new machine first, so it is signed into your plex account.
If there was no start-up assistant running at first startup, you’ll have to perform this procedure to do it: https://support.plex.tv/articles/204281528-why-am-i-locked-out-of-server-settings-and-how-do-i-get-in/

Once this is done, you also have to tell each of your clients that your default server has now changed:
https://support.plex.tv/articles/customizing-the-mobile-apps-2#reset
https://support.plex.tv/articles/customizing-the-apps#reset
https://support.plex.tv/articles/customizing-plex-web#resethome

3

I did copy over the registry entries form the old machine.

But since both old and new machines are still in use, I can’t make the attempt to swap IP addresses (even if I knew how).

Is there somewhere that I can reset this? I am dreading rebuilding my libraries as one is enormous.

4

Then you cannot use them both at the same time. The registry data contain the machine ID, which is primarily used to identify the server.
Here is how to resolve this:

  1. Shut down the new server
  2. erase these keys from the registry
AnonymousMachineIdentifier
MachineIdentifier
ProcessedMachineIdentifier
PlexOnlineToken
  1. Perform https://support.plex.tv/articles/204281528-why-am-i-locked-out-of-server-settings-and-how-do-i-get-in/

It may take quite a while until clients can use this new server, since it will be assigned a new FQDN and a matching cryptographic certificate.
(Some routers/ISPs/DNS servers take quite long to update their caches)

5

127.0.0.1 refused to connect… So I restarted the computer, same results. So I Started PMS and it had me sign in and claim the server. That seemed to do the trick… except now PMS thinks my home screen is empty. There is a button to “reset customization” there but I don’t think that’s correct because I can navigate to my new server name.
It appears my old server name (which is quite dead) is still listed as my “home”.

How do I get PLEX to have my new server name the HOME server from this point?

6

By resetting the customization. On every client.

7

It appears to have worked on the new computer that I had moved everything to. Fantastic! Thank you very much!

And now - it is my understanding that I will have to do this exact same procedure on all other computers I have with a client in order to reset the customization on each. For instance setting up a new client on the old machine, I would have to reinstall, then follow this process? Is this correct?

8

There should be only one server. All other machines only need a client.
The reset procedure doesn’t require an uninstallation.

9

I had this same problem after moving my server.

Solution: I moved it back where I had my wifi (when I setup the server). After seeing it was working again I cloned my mac address (& set a static IP address) after setting up the server. This way it can be moved anywhere and still connect. I now connect with ethernet. (which uses the same mac address).

10

I have three computers - each with their own type of content. So I still need a server on each client… Right?

I have botched things up so badly that I am looking at removing PLEX from ALL three computers, utterly destroying the previously built libraries, and painstakingly rebuilding each library (once of which with thousands of files) one at a time.

Is there any “Easy Nuke” option to completely and utterly uninstall? Is the only way to do it to uninstall and then remove PLEX from the registry?

I’ve got a number of family members that I share this with, is there an easy way to generate the list of their Email addresses so I can send them invites once I get at least a single machine up and running?

11

Perform this on every machine:
https://support.plex.tv/articles/201941078-uninstall-plex-media-server/

then remove all entries listed in here:
https://app.plex.tv/desktop#!/settings/devices/pms

There is no need to re-invite.
The users are still your “friends”. Once you have a new server up and running, simply go here https://app.plex.tv/desktop#!/settings/users-sharing
and click on each of those friends,
then “Edit” their access to each server/library.

Each of those users might have to perform the following “reset” procedure on each of their used clients:
Then you might have to perform the ‘Reset customization’ procedure on all plex clients:
https://support.plex.tv/articles/customizing-the-mobile-apps-2#reset
https://support.plex.tv/articles/customizing-the-apps#reset
https://support.plex.tv/articles/customizing-plex-web#resethome

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