# Plex Forgetting Library Matches On Scan **URL:** \ **Category:** Plex Media Server\ **Tags:** server-windows\ **Created:** [October 15, 2022, 10:07pm UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/plex-forgetting-library-matches-on-scan/814928 "2022-10-15T22:07:02Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![dgriffinzero](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/plex/user_avatar/forums.plex.tv/dgriffinzero/32/281054_2.png) [@dgriffinzero](https://forums.plex.tv/u/dgriffinzero)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2022, 10:07pm UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/plex-forgetting-library-matches-on-scan/814928/1 "2022-10-15T22:07:02Z")
Server Version#: 1.29.0.6244 (x64) Player Version#: N/A This has actually been happening to me on and off for awhile, and it’s finally gotten to the point where I’ve “had it”. Every 4-6 weeks, Plex will do a scan and “forget” the matches on shows that were previously matched and sometimes it will also completely hose my collections. Usually, this “forgetfulness” occurs with shows that I had to manually match, but sometimes, it’ll “forget” the match for other shows too. The files haven’t been altered in any way, but Plex just…“forgets”. I have a second VM, running on the same host, using the same dedicated domain user account, running the same version of Plex, pointing at the same storage that does not have this issue. Config: Windows Server 2019 VM hosted on vSphere 7.03U3g w/Nvidia P2000 in Passthrough. Storage provided by virtualized TrueNAS SCALE instance on same host. Plex db has been migrated twice over six years. No db errors in logs. Any suggestions that don’t involve me doing an uninstall and reinstall? Because that would really suck. ---
**Author:** ![anon5074910](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/db5fbb/32.png) [@anon5074910](https://forums.plex.tv/u/anon5074910)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2022, 10:11pm UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/plex-forgetting-library-matches-on-scan/814928/2 "2022-10-15T22:11:56Z")
99.9% of the time this happens its because the naming does not match what plex expects. In the past I’ve seen even a fix match break later if the naming is particularly poor. So, could you give an example (screenshot) of a movie, show and it’s episodes which you have this problem ? ---
**Author:** ![dgriffinzero](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/plex/user_avatar/forums.plex.tv/dgriffinzero/32/281054_2.png) [@dgriffinzero](https://forums.plex.tv/u/dgriffinzero)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2022, 10:32pm UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/plex-forgetting-library-matches-on-scan/814928/3 "2022-10-15T22:32:25Z")
My problem isn’t that the initial match fails. My problem is that after I’ve already matched the item, One Plex instance will “forget” that match for no obvious reason that I can find, while the other does not. ---
**Author:** ![pshanew](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/plex/user_avatar/forums.plex.tv/pshanew/32/160555_2.png) [@pshanew](https://forums.plex.tv/u/pshanew)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2022, 10:53pm UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/plex-forgetting-library-matches-on-scan/814928/4 "2022-10-15T22:53:11Z")
> [@dgriffinzero](#): > > My problem is that after I’ve already matched the item, One Plex instance will “forget” that match > [@anon5074910](#): > > In the past I’ve seen even a fix match break later if the naming is particularly poor. As have I. Please show the full path and name(s) of some example items where matching has been lost. ---
**Author:** ![JaysPlex](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/plex/user_avatar/forums.plex.tv/jaysplex/32/281767_2.png) [@JaysPlex](https://forums.plex.tv/u/JaysPlex)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2022, 11:04pm UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/plex-forgetting-library-matches-on-scan/814928/5 "2022-10-15T23:04:34Z")
Is “empty trash automatically after every scan” enabled in your server settings? Most frequently this kind of things happens if one of your file locations aren’t accessible to the server during a scan The scanner doesn’t see the file and Plex deletes it when the trash is emptied. Upon the next scan when that media is now available again Plex thinks that it’s new If those items were “fixed matched” when originally added, they will become unmatched again when they are re-added This is caused by bad naming, as Dokuro and pshanew have pointed out which can correct them from being unmatched. But you need to find out the root cause of why Plex can’t see those files I don’t know if this is your problem but it’s something to check ---
**Author:** ![dgriffinzero](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/plex/user_avatar/forums.plex.tv/dgriffinzero/32/281054_2.png) [@dgriffinzero](https://forums.plex.tv/u/dgriffinzero)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2022, 11:25pm UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/plex-forgetting-library-matches-on-scan/814928/6 "2022-10-15T23:25:08Z")
- F:\Submarine 707R OVA (Dual-Audio)\Submarine 707R Mission 01.mkv - F:\Bubble Guppies\Bubble Guppies - Season 1\Bubble Guppies - S01E001 - Call a Clambulance.avi - F:\Swat Kats (1993)\SwatKats S01E01 ‘The Pastmaster Always Rings Twice’.mp4 _Submarine 707R_, I can completely understand it failing on the initial match, but after being matched, it was fine for **years** and across both migrations. Ditto for _SWAT Kats_. _Bubble Guppies_, I don’t get as it matched correctly the first time. ---
**Author:** ![JaysPlex](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/plex/user_avatar/forums.plex.tv/jaysplex/32/281767_2.png) [@JaysPlex](https://forums.plex.tv/u/JaysPlex)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2022, 12:16am UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/plex-forgetting-library-matches-on-scan/814928/7 "2022-10-16T00:16:34Z")
F:\Submarine 707R (2003)\Season 01\Submarine 707R - S01E01 - Mission 01 [OVA -Dual audio].mkv F:\Bubble Guppies (2011)\Season 01\Bubble Guppies (2011) - S01E01 - Call a Clambulance.avi (you have an extra 0 in the show number 001) F:\Swat Kats: The Radical Squadron (1993)\ Season 01\Swat Kats The Radical Squadron (1993) - s01e01 - The Pastmaster Always Rings Twice.mp4 You can omit the season folder if you only have one season The date inside the file name is not always necessary but I would highly recommend it in the show folder If you want added info like “OVA Dual Audio” it can’t be in the show folder. If you put it in the file name, put it inside square brackets. Plex will ignore what’s inside of the brackets and not confuse it with part of the file name or show In the show folder you can put the name of the show and year in parenthesis Also the TVDB or TMDB series id if you want I.e. {tmdb-181001} in curly brackets to help match it. If it contains anything else you’re gambling People use filebot or TinyMediaManager to name their files easier I use this free program and it works pretty well for me [Rename My TV Series 2](https://www.tweaking4all.com/home-theatre/rename-my-tv-series-v2/) ---
**Author:** ![system](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/plex/original/3X/2/a/2acb9765406f63293d357b4ec509ec39aa28f2ad.png) [@system](https://forums.plex.tv/u/system)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2023, 12:16am UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/plex-forgetting-library-matches-on-scan/814928/8 "2023-01-14T00:16:47Z")
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