# Plex Failed to load Preferences

**URL:** <https://forums.plex.tv/t/plex-failed-to-load-preferences/802921>\
**Category:** Plex Media Server\
**Tags:** server-linux\
**Created:** [August 2, 2022, 1:07am UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/plex-failed-to-load-preferences/802921 "2022-08-02T01:07:36Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![adcowley](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/85f322/32.png) [@adcowley](https://forums.plex.tv/u/adcowley)\
**Post date:** [August 2, 2022, 1:07am UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/plex-failed-to-load-preferences/802921/1 "2022-08-02T01:07:36Z")

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Server Version#: 1.27.2.5.5929-a806c5905  
Player Version#: N/A

Hello All,  
I have started getting the following error when trying to start the Plex Service on my server running Rhel 9. I have gotten this error once before, after a power outage, but I figured it was just a corrupted file and I was due for a OS refresh so I just wiped the server and rebuilt. Now about a month has passed and I shutdown the server properly for maintenance (i.e. Cleaning dust from the case) and now it will not come back up.

Any help would be appreciated, I really don’t want to have to rebuild again. I am a bit of a Linux newbie so I am not that familiar with everything.

Aug 01 19:53:13 [my server name] systemd[1]: Starting Plex Media Server…  
Aug 01 19:53:13 [my server name] systemd[1]: Started Plex Media Server.  
Aug 01 19:53:13 [my server name] sh[1352]: Failed to load preferences at /var/lib/plexmediaserver/Library/Application Support/Plex Media Server/Preferences.xml  
Aug 01 19:53:15 [my server name] sh[1352]: Failed to load preferences at /var/lib/plexmediaserver/Library/Application Support/Plex Media Server/Preferences.xml

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**Author:** ![dane22](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/plex/user_avatar/forums.plex.tv/dane22/32/4389_2.png) [@dane22](https://forums.plex.tv/u/dane22)\
**Post date:** [August 2, 2022, 10:13am UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/plex-failed-to-load-preferences/802921/2 "2022-08-02T10:13:13Z")

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First of all, check file rights/owner for the file:

`/var/lib/plexmediaserver/Library/Application Support/Plex Media Server/Preferences.xml`

Secondly, check the file itself to confirm it’s a valid xml file

Note: **DO NOT** post the file here, since it contains your token!

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**Author:** ![system](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/plex/original/3X/2/a/2acb9765406f63293d357b4ec509ec39aa28f2ad.png) [@system](https://forums.plex.tv/u/system)\
**Post date:** [October 31, 2022, 10:13am UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/plex-failed-to-load-preferences/802921/3 "2022-10-31T10:13:22Z")

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