Server Version#: 1.25.7.5604
Player Version#: Plex HTPC 1.12.0
I run the Plex Server on a M1 Mac Mini running MacOs Monterey 12.1. I’ve had no issues since I got the M1. But in the last month or two, after one of the Server updates, it has randomly started freezing up or crashing. Once it happens, I have to reboot the Mac to get the server to work correctly. Not even just restarting the server software works. It has to be a reboot of the machine.
I’ve been a Plex Pass holder for years, and usually when something like this starts acting up, I just wait for the next server updated and things go back to normal. But there has been several updates and nothing has gotten better. There has been no changes, to the Mac Mini prior to the issue starting. The only task that this Mini does is run the Plex server. So the only explanation to me, is that something in the server update messed something up and now it keeps crashing.
I know that the server logs would/will be helpful in figuring this out, but I’ve not had the time or even remembered to get them on the last few crashes. I will make it a priority to get them after the next crash. Assuming I’m home when it happens.
But any help or insight between now and then or if anyone else is or has had the same issue, any help would be greatly appreciated.
Please disable verbose logging. Debug level is sufficient. Verbose adds many additional log entries, which causes the logs to quickly wrap, and desired information can be lost.
What is /Volumes/Transcoder? USB drive, something else? If Plex is having trouble accessing the location it will cause Plex instability. There was a transcode occurring when the system crashed.
Verbose logging disabled. Uploading new logs. But it hasn’t crashed yet since my last logs. So not sure if that helps yet or if you need logs right after a crash.
As for the “Volume/Transcoder”. Because one of my NAS has 10TB of extra storage on it, I created a separate share/mount called “Transcoder” and under the Settings/ServerName/Settings/Transcoder, I designated the “Transcoder temporary directory” to be in that NSA share/mount. On the Mac it calls it a “Volume”. So the directory to the that share is “Volume/Transcoder”. The thought was to just have ample space for the Transcoder temporary cash. Thinking it might help things continue to run smoothly. But I set it up that Transcoder temporary directory quite a while back. Way before any of these issues started. So it doesn’t seem like it should be that. But just incase, I’ve removed the specified directory from the settings and restarted the server software. Plex should be sending it’s temporary transcoding files to the default location on the startup drive now. So if it continues to happen, we can at least rule that out then. I feel like I’ve had it freeze up even when no one was transcoding… but I’m not always watching who’s connecting, so I could be wrong.
The logs need to capture the crash. If Plex crashes again, restart Plex, wait a couple of minutes for Plex to start and the logs to capture the startup sequence. Then pull the log files.
Don’t put the transcoder directory on a network share. It doubles the amount of traffic to/from the NAS. Plex reads the media file from the NAS, writes/reads to/from the transcoder directory on the NAS, then sends it back on the LAN to the Plex client. Even if it works, it will add a lot of delay, as read/write speeds to a NAS are much slower than to a local drive (especially a SSD).
OMG… I literally did a “hand to face” when I read your response… It never even crossed my mind that I was creating more traffic to and from the NAS by putting the transcode directory there. I literally did the opposite of what I was thinking I was doing.
And I thought I was being so clever…
Anyway, if this wasn’t the cause of all my recent issues, I will post new server logs the next time it crashes. But fingers crossed this was the culprit.
It never even crossed my mind that I was creating more traffic to and from the NAS by putting the transcode directory there. I literally did the opposite of what I was thinking I was doing. 
