# Plex cannot find SOME (media) files **URL:** \ **Category:** Plex Media Server\ **Tags:** server-linux, library-management\ **Created:** [September 2, 2022, 3:50pm UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/plex-cannot-find-some-media-files/809103 "2022-09-02T15:50:36Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Alien21](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/plex/user_avatar/forums.plex.tv/alien21/32/83270_2.png) [@Alien21](https://forums.plex.tv/u/Alien21)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2022, 3:50pm UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/plex-cannot-find-some-media-files/809103/1 "2022-09-02T15:50:36Z")
Server Version#: plexmediaserver-1.28.2.6151-914ddd2b3.x86\_64.rpm Player Version#: all plex is not detecting some files. I tried manually calling SCAN MEDIA FILES, I tried changing the file name and then manually calling SCAN MEDIA FILES, I tried delete them and manually calling SCAN MEDIA FILES and than add them again and manually calling SCAN MEDIA FILES, but plex can’t find these files. It only affects some files. other files added on the same day plex finds them fine. Can anyone advise me how to make plex detect these files? The files have the same access rights and owner as all the others (same owner as plexmedia server), they are normally readable. Files The files that I have found that are not detectable (i thing naming is good and other files from same directories are ok): “**\See (2019) - [tvdb-361565]\Season 3\See (2019) - s03e02 - Watch Out for Wolves - [ATVP WEBDL-1080p]-CasStudio.mkv" "**\Bad Sisters (2022) - [tvdb-418182]\Season 1\Bad Sisters (2022) - s01e04 - Baby Becka - [ATVP WEBDL-1080p]-NTb.mkv” “**\Surface (2022) - [tvdb-392740]\Season 1\Surface (2022) - s01e08 - See You on the Other Side - [ATVP WEBDL-1080p]-NTb.mkv" "**\Industry (2020) - [tvdb-371796]\Season 2\Industry (2020) - s02e05 - Kitchen Season - [HMAX WEBDL-1080p]-NTb.mkv” ---
**Author:** ![OttoKerner](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/plex/user_avatar/forums.plex.tv/ottokerner/32/10079_2.png) [@OttoKerner](https://forums.plex.tv/u/OttoKerner)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2022, 3:53pm UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/plex-cannot-find-some-media-files/809103/2 "2022-09-02T15:53:10Z")
Don’t use square brackets around the ID matching hint. Use `{ }`. Verify the file and folder access permissions. Make sure that only the folder level _above_ of `\Industry (2020)...` has been added to the Plex library. ---
**Author:** ![Alien21](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/plex/user_avatar/forums.plex.tv/alien21/32/83270_2.png) [@Alien21](https://forums.plex.tv/u/Alien21)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2022, 3:55pm UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/plex-cannot-find-some-media-files/809103/3 "2022-09-02T15:55:44Z")
as I wrote, the permissions are fine, they are the same as all other files in all directories. The owner is the same as the owner of the running plexmedia server. previeos and next files (episodes) from same directory plex detect fine. I’ll try changing `[` to `{`. files are not empty, i can play them manualy from some media player. ---
**Author:** ![OttoKerner](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/plex/user_avatar/forums.plex.tv/ottokerner/32/10079_2.png) [@OttoKerner](https://forums.plex.tv/u/OttoKerner)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2022, 3:56pm UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/plex-cannot-find-some-media-files/809103/4 "2022-09-02T15:56:07Z")
Verify that the files are not 0 bytes large. > [@Alien21](#): > > I’ll try changing `[` to `{` Not all of them. Only those around the matching hint. You might have to perform the [Plex Dance](https://forums.plex.tv/t/the-plex-dance/197064) after the renaming. ---
**Author:** ![Alien21](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/plex/user_avatar/forums.plex.tv/alien21/32/83270_2.png) [@Alien21](https://forums.plex.tv/u/Alien21)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2022, 3:58pm UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/plex-cannot-find-some-media-files/809103/5 "2022-09-02T15:58:40Z")
i tried empty trash, clean bundle, optimize database. but results is same. plex doesnot detect these files. ---
**Author:** ![OttoKerner](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/plex/user_avatar/forums.plex.tv/ottokerner/32/10079_2.png) [@OttoKerner](https://forums.plex.tv/u/OttoKerner)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2022, 4:02pm UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/plex-cannot-find-some-media-files/809103/6 "2022-09-02T16:02:30Z")
> [@Alien21](#): > > i tried empty trash, clean bundle, optimize database. You need to perform all steps of the [Plex Dance](https://forums.plex.tv/t/the-plex-dance/197064), in the noted order, or it will be for naught. ---
**Author:** ![Alien21](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/plex/user_avatar/forums.plex.tv/alien21/32/83270_2.png) [@Alien21](https://forums.plex.tv/u/Alien21)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2022, 4:14pm UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/plex-cannot-find-some-media-files/809103/7 "2022-09-02T16:14:07Z")
ok, i did all steps in noted order and plex finds missing files !!! interesting 🙂 thanks a lot !!! ---
**Author:** ![system](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/plex/original/3X/2/a/2acb9765406f63293d357b4ec509ec39aa28f2ad.png) [@system](https://forums.plex.tv/u/system)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2022, 4:15pm UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/plex-cannot-find-some-media-files/809103/8 "2022-12-01T16:15:05Z")
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