Odd plex wont start issue

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1

I have an odd issue. For a long time now i have been using the pms service for plex. Now while trying to use the standard launch plex media server icon i get an error saying corrupt database. I can still launch it as a service with no issues but not without the service.
if i try rolling back to a previous version of the DB i am able to start plex with the standard plex executable but then i cant access the web interface at all. if i launch the pms service i then can access plex web but then get the error message again if i try using the standard plex executable.

Im kinda confused here.

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2

Which Windows user account did you select for the service to run under?
If it was the ‘SYSTEM’ account (or any other Windows user account not identical to your regular Windows user), then the regular Windows user you are using has no write permissions to the files created by the service.
Which could explain the error message you get when trying to start the server in the regular way.

You will have to untangle the file and foder access permissions in the Plex data folder if you want to run Plex server in the ordinary way.

Post scriptum: It is a horrible idea in general to run plex under the SYSTEM account.
If you are using Plex as a service, I recommend you to run it either under your own Windows user account or to create a dedicated Windows user account just for Plex.

3

the service is running with a local admin account. i am trying to run it the regular way with the same account as the service account.

4

Did you think of stopping the service before trying to start it regularly?

Apart from that: stop both service and regular-run Plex. Make sure there is no Plex-related process still showing in the Task Manager (CTRL+Shift+Esc).
Then reset user access permissions on the plex data folder. Here is a handy tool for that http://lallouslab.net/2013/08/26/resetting-ntfs-files-permission-in-windows-graphical-utility/

5

all processes are stopped totally in the pms service, and windows service. i confirmed it all in task manager.
the ownership permissions are all set correctly and im able to see files get created correctly in the folder so i know the read and write are working as its supposed to.
Dont forget im also using the exact same account for the service and regular.

In the logs i also see plex starting correctly which is why im so confused. no errors or warnings to note

6

You cannot possibly verify that for each and every subfolder and every file in there. There are millions of files and folders in a bigger Plex installation.

Was there possibly a time when you started Plex as a service and in the regular way at the same time?
Then perhaps the database actually did get damaged and you may have to revert to an earlier backup.
https://support.plex.tv/articles/202485658-restore-a-database-backed-up-via-scheduled-tasks/

7

powershell command get-childitem -recurse > c:\PlexPerm.txt will send it to a file for you to peruse. difficult but not impossible to verify.

If the database did get damged like that, wont the service have an issue running it to begin with? it should fail to start as both a service and regular since the service launches the program in the background.

8

Then I am out of ideas, unfortunately.

9

thanks for trying. maybe someone else out there has an idea.

10

Maybe someone in here has an idea: PMS as a service

11

i will post it there as well. thanks again for your assistance.

12

I’m scratching my head here. selecting it to run as administrator seems to let it work successfully.

13

That suggests there is still a permissions issue after all, IMHO.

14

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