Qnap TVS-1282
Plex Server Version#: 1.25.0
Player Version#: 4.66.1
This is the 4th time I have been thru my movie and TV database cleaning it up, getting the correct artwork, changing sort names, making collections, etc., just to have them all disappear. The last time this happened I quit my paid subscription to Plex, I guess I am going to have to bite the bullet and find another software because this is maddening. It would really help if Plex could provide some way creating a backup file with all my changes, so when all my hard work vanishes, at least I could use a recently saved version.
Plex player on Windows 10, Amazon Fire Stick & Nvidia Shield.
Unless you disable it, Plex creates regular backups of your database (see Settings > [Server Name] > Scheduled Tasks).
However it might be more interesting to address the root cause for your disappearing data.
Personally I’m only aware of one use case where this can happen… though there’s quite a list of conditions:
Your server is configured to automatically or periodically scan your libraries → seeSettings > [Server Name] > Library > Scan my library automatically or Scan my library periodically
Your server is configured to empty its trash after every scan → seeSettings > [Server Name] > Library > Empty trash automatically after every scan)
Your media is stored on a network drive or external drive that can be disconnected or take a moment to react
Plex should recognize if a linked folder isn’t available at all and not remove media from your library in that case. IIRC there can be very specific setups that’ll circumvent that “protection”. If the HDD is just slow to react and only some folders fail to scan, Plex will consider them gone and remove them from your library (including all your manual changes). In such a case the files can “reappear” during the next scan – though they’ll only have the default information (none of your edits).
If your environment is prone to such an issue, I strongly recommend to disable Empty trash automatically after every scan (see #2). This way, even if Plex fails to find a file during a scan, it’ll not delete the database record but merely show it as missing. Therefore, when the file reappears, all your manual edits will still be in place.
Thanks for the reply Tom80H
My server is scheduled to complete regular backups, I do not know how to recover backups though.
My Library files or movies/TvShows do not get deleted but any data I change to the database for these movies, such as changing how a movie is sorted or what artwork is showing this information disappears. If plex does keep this info in a file please let me know which file and how to recover info let me know where the tutorial is.
Thanks again
Tim N
This 1st happened roughly over (guessing) 18 months ago. I have been using plex for about 8 years, so 90% of my data has “lived” in my system for quite a few years. The data for all my movies & tv shows will “vanish” and be back to a time when I first installed all the movies, etc onto hard drives. I will have movies that do not match where ever plex gets its data for movies, so i’m back to no poster info (just some random pic from movie) all my sorting inputs will be gone, all collections are gone. Any info or data I have added to a movie or tv show in plex will be gone. The process of “cleaning up” my movie/tvshow database takes a few days, in my plodding manner. If there is a file where plex keeps this info please let me know.
Thanks
Tim N
Don’t think this matters but I do have 2 servers. My main server is a Qnap TVS-1282 NAS my other server is an external hard drive connected to my windows 10 PC.
I used to be able to combine the information of these 2 servers into 1 pinned Home icon for Movies plus for TVShows; but now they will not combine so now I have 2 Movie icons 1 for each server and the same for TVShows.
Also, I copy all movie, etc onto the hard drives without any compression and watch them in original quality.
