Server Version#:1.32.8.7639
Player Version#:v.1.86.1.4076-a3ab948d
Windows 11 Version: 10.0.22621 Build 22621
I have quite a bit of media on my PMS. Obviously, I need to back up my Plex data. For guidance, I watched Ron Seidman’s video “Backing Up Your Plex Data on Windows, Mac, Linux and NAS”. As per the first step, I shut down my server. Thereafter things didn’t go as he instructed. Possibly the problem lies in the fact that just as I was beginning to learn how to work with the Plex server, that was interrupted for 3 years due to damage to our home by Hurricane Laura.
The computer hosting PMS was also damaged, which I repaired. In the process of resuming my work, apparently I installed PMS a second time for in the directory path of “Users/redsa/Appdata/Local/Plex” there’s TWO folders: “Media Server" AND “Plex Media Server, old”.
The subfolders in the “Media Server” are: Cache, Codecs, Diagnostics, Drivers, Logs, Plug-in Support and Sync. There are no “Media” nor “Metadata” folders as in Ron’s example. A search for “Metadata” in the “Media Server” revealed no items matching that search. All these folders have “Show hidden items” checked.
The “Authorized Devices” shows only one PMS.
I have done quite a bit of work on selecting posters for my movies, creating Collections, etc. I’m now unsure as to where those data are being stored and if a backup copy of what is in the “Media Server” won’t contain those metadata.
That sounds like you are viewing the app folder for the Plex for Window desktop player app. The server folder in that is only how that app controls downloads, it isn’t the full server
The server folder will be Users/redsa/Appdata/Local/Plex Media Server
That is the mini server built into the desktop app that only has the function of controlling downloads for the desktop player app that is just called “Plex”.
If you open the start menu and enter in %LOCALAPPDATA%\Plex Media Server into the search field it should take you to the correct folder assuming you installed it in the standard location.
Yes sir, that’s exactly what Lon instructed to do, and the results are "No results found for %LOCALAPPDATA%\Plex Media Server. So assuming I did not install it in the standard location, any Idea where those data would be? Should I start a search on "Local Disk (C:) for “Metadata”?
Plex is running fine. I run it every day, as well as clients inside our home and outside.
Pardon my ignorance, but I’m not sure what the instructions call for in the Locating Advanced, Hidden Server Settings.
In the HKEY_CURRENT_USER/Software/Plex, Inc./Plex Media Server I see no “String Value”. Am I to add that and then enter into it “DWORD (32-bit) Value”
Confused as to how that would reveal anything. I’m on a 64-bit machine, not sure it that makes any difference. And assuming I make those additions, would I reboot to see something that I’m not seeing now.
Unless you have the following registry field set to a path, this screenshot shows that Plex Media Server.exe has not run on this system within the windows user account redsa and it is just the Plex Desktop for Windows app that has been run
The registry entry I am referring to is
“HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Plex, Inc.\Plex Media Server\LocalAppDataPath”
If this registry field does not exit but “HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Plex, Inc.\Plex Media Server” exists, then default path would be used.
If “HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Plex, Inc.\Plex Media Server” does not exist, it means Plex Media Server.exe has never been launched under the “redsa” user
It is possible you have a non default LocalAppDataPath set in the registry
or the Plex Media Server.exe process is running in a different windows account
What does Windows Task Manager show ? Is there a Plex Media Server.exe process? What username is it running in ? There should be a username column in the Details view
Are you running it as a service or scheduled task?
And does “Control Panel / Add or Remove Programs” show Plex Media Server installed ?
What do you have showing as installed for Plex?
Well, looks like I created a convoluted mess! Guided by what I see in the registry, I looked at “E:\Plex Temp Files\Plex Media Server” and there IS a metadata folder containing much data. However, those data appear to have been created when I first installed PMS in 2019.
Now, in “E:\Plex Temp Files\Plex Media Server\Plex Media Server” there’s another metadata folder which does contain current data. I’m almost sure that I got into this mess when I attempted to follow the advice of another Plex user that has published many “how to” videos. His advice was if my OS drive is a SSD (which it is), to direct PMS to store its temp files to a HDD since SSDs have limited writes.
(Looks like here I know just enough to be “dangerous”!)
Oh! Task Manager shows there is a Plex Media Server.exe process, but I see nothing there as to what username in which it is running.
So! Can you provide me with advice of how to fix this mess, or should I just copy the folders that contain the current data and be satisfied with that?
You have Plex Media Server as last part of the LocalAppDataPath. Which causes a new Plex Media Server subfolder to get created inside of E:\Plex Temp Files\Plex Media Server.
Which means your currently used Plex data are inside of E:\Plex Temp Files\Plex Media Server\Plex Media Server
(notice the double “Plex Media Server”)
i.e. a Plex data folder inside of an older plex data folder.
Great - by the way this folder structure is not “Temp Files” for Plex Media Server - they are the Plex Media Server Application data files that it needs and uses to run - including metadata, the databases, logs etc etc … I would not call all this “Plex Temp Files” ! - just a FYI
And so long as the “E:” Drive will always be present, it is ok to keep using a LocalAppDataPath in the registry pointing to an existing path within it - below which, Plex Media Server holds its data folder structure
