Plex Media Server failed to start

perreaultluc2_gmail_com · December 22, 2018, 1:37pm

Server Version#: 1.13.10.352
Player Version#:

Hi,
I’m new on Linux and I installed Plex Server on Ubuntu 18.04.1 LTS. I managed the server on the web (http://127.0.0.1:32400/web). If I verify the status I have this error but I don’t know why:

sudo systemctl status plexmediaserver
● plexmediaserver.service - Plex Media Server for Linux
Loaded: loaded (/lib/systemd/system/plexmediaserver.service; enabled; vendor pr
Active: failed (Result: exit-code) since Sat 2018-12-22 08:23:29 EST; 7min ago
Process: 16218 ExecStart=/bin/sh -c LD_LIBRARY_PATH=/usr/lib/plexmediaserver "/u
Process: 16216 ExecStartPre=/bin/sh -c /usr/bin/test -d "${PLEX_MEDIA_SERVER_APP
Main PID: 16218 (code=exited, status=255)

déc 22 08:23:29 Linux-Luc systemd[1]: plexmediaserver.service: Service hold-off ti
déc 22 08:23:29 Linux-Luc systemd[1]: plexmediaserver.service: Scheduled restart j
déc 22 08:23:29 Linux-Luc systemd[1]: Stopped Plex Media Server for Linux.
déc 22 08:23:29 Linux-Luc systemd[1]: plexmediaserver.service: Start request repea
déc 22 08:23:29 Linux-Luc systemd[1]: plexmediaserver.service: Failed with result
déc 22 08:23:29 Linux-Luc systemd[1]: Failed to start Plex Media Server for Linux.

Thanks for your help

ChuckPa · December 22, 2018, 6:00pm

We need to see what Linux itself knows about the failure. (Systemd writes to the Linux system log)

To do this, we type:

sudo journalctl -xe | grep -i plex

Now, we look (page) through the output for the most recent events and see what it shows us.
If you can find them and, if the cause isn’t obvious, copy/paste the text of the messages here, I will be able to help further.

perreaultluc2_gmail_com · December 22, 2018, 6:40pm

I found that the server start when I’m doing “sudo systemctl start plexmediaserver.service” but after few seconds it stop.

luc@Linux-Luc:~ sudo systemctl status plexmediaserver ● plexmediaserver.service - Plex Media Server for Linux Loaded: loaded (/lib/systemd/system/plexmediaserver.service; enabled; vendor preset: enabled) Active: failed (Result: exit-code) since Sat 2018-12-22 13:36:08 EST; 1s ago Process: 27926 ExecStart=/bin/sh -c LD_LIBRARY_PATH=/usr/lib/plexmediaserver "/usr/lib/plexmediaserver/Plex Media Server" (code=exi Process: 27924 ExecStartPre=/bin/sh -c /usr/bin/test -d "{PLEX_MEDIA_SERVER_APPLICATION_SUPPORT_DIR}" || /bin/mkdir -p "${PLEX_MED
Main PID: 27926 (code=exited, status=255)

déc 22 13:36:08 Linux-Luc systemd[1]: plexmediaserver.service: Service hold-off time over, scheduling restart.
déc 22 13:36:08 Linux-Luc systemd[1]: plexmediaserver.service: Scheduled restart job, restart counter is at 3.
déc 22 13:36:08 Linux-Luc systemd[1]: Stopped Plex Media Server for Linux.
déc 22 13:36:08 Linux-Luc systemd[1]: plexmediaserver.service: Start request repeated too quickly.
déc 22 13:36:08 Linux-Luc systemd[1]: plexmediaserver.service: Failed with result ‘exit-code’.
déc 22 13:36:08 Linux-Luc systemd[1]: Failed to start Plex Media Server for Linux.

I will verify with your command.

perreaultluc2_gmail_com · December 22, 2018, 7:10pm

With the command sudo journalctl -xe | grep -i plex The server start; stop and restart automatically two times and then stop. I don’t understand why but see the error:

– L’unité (unit) plexmediaserver.service a terminé son démarrage, avec le résultat RESULT.
déc 22 13:50:35 Linux-Luc systemd[1]: plexmediaserver.service: Main process exited, code=exited, status=255/n/a
déc 22 13:50:35 Linux-Luc systemd[1]: plexmediaserver.service: Failed with result ‘exit-code’.
déc 22 13:50:40 Linux-Luc systemd[1]: plexmediaserver.service: Service hold-off time over, scheduling restart.
déc 22 13:50:40 Linux-Luc systemd[1]: plexmediaserver.service: Scheduled restart job, restart counter is at 1.

Thanks

ChuckPa · December 22, 2018, 11:06pm

please do the following and then copy/paste the entire shell output here:

sudo sh
passwd plex          # you will assign user plex a password you know
chsh -s /bin/sh plex

# now become 'plex'
su - plex
cd /usr/lib/plexmediaserver
export LD_LIBRARY_PATH=/usr/lib/plexmediaserver
export PLEX_MEDIA_SERVER_APPLICATION_SUPPORT_DIR="/var/lib/plexmediaserver/Library/Application Support"
"./Plex Media Server"

You are executing Plex just as systemd will.
whichever errors are happening, will print here.

Also, can you please tell me which Linux distribution and version you are using?

perreaultluc2_gmail_com · December 23, 2018, 1:42am

Ok here are the Output:

Error: Unable to set up server: listen: Address already in use (N5boost16exception_detail10clone_implINS0_19error_info_injectorINS_6system12system_errorEEEEE)

I have Ubuntu 18.04.1 LTS

Thanks

ChuckPa · December 23, 2018, 2:36am

Thank you.

something is already using Plex’s port … NOT NICE!

Here’s the list of Plex’s ports.
https://support.plex.tv/articles/201543147-what-network-ports-do-i-need-to-allow-through-my-firewall/

Only 32400 is required for external access but all these ports need be available.

netstat -anp | grep N (where N is the port you’re checking from the list, will let you find out who’s holding it open.

perreaultluc2_gmail_com · December 23, 2018, 4:24am

Ok. I’m just thinking; I have an other computer with windows 7 who’s running a plex media server connect to my WIFI too. I stop the service on this computer. Here for netstat:

sudo netstat -anp | grep 32400
tcp 0 0 0.0.0.0:32400 0.0.0.0:* LISTEN 11786/./Plex Media

I restart the server on my Ubuntu computer but I have the same error.
Error: Unable to set up server: listen: Address already in use (N5boost16exception_detail10clone_implINS0_19error_info_injectorINS_6system12system_errorEEEEE)

ChuckPa · December 23, 2018, 5:03am

You can run one PMS server on each computer. That works ok. Attempting to run 2 is where the problem occurs.

If you have one in a VM, this will also cause a problem. Are you using Docker or a VM ?

perreaultluc2_gmail_com · December 23, 2018, 12:46pm

Hum no I don’t have Docker and I don’t have Virtual Machine. I tried something: I rebooted my Ubuntu computer and I start PMS but I have no change. But I have some new into the journalctl…

luc@Linux-Luc:~ sudo systemctl stop plexmediaserver.service luc@Linux-Luc:~ sudo systemctl start plexmediaserver.service
luc@Linux-Luc:~ sudo systemctl status plexmediaserver ● plexmediaserver.service - Plex Media Server for Linux Loaded: loaded (/lib/systemd/system/plexmediaserver.service; enabled; vendor Active: activating (auto-restart) (Result: exit-code) since Sun 2018-12-23 07 Process: 2660 ExecStart=/bin/sh -c LD_LIBRARY_PATH=/usr/lib/plexmediaserver "/ Process: 2658 ExecStartPre=/bin/sh -c /usr/bin/test -d "{PLEX_MEDIA_SERVER_AP
Main PID: 2660 (code=exited, status=255)

déc 23 07:22:48 Linux-Luc systemd[1]: plexmediaserver.service: Main process exit
déc 23 07:22:48 Linux-Luc systemd[1]: plexmediaserver.service: Failed with resul
luc@Linux-Luc:~ sudo systemctl status plexmediaserver ● plexmediaserver.service - Plex Media Server for Linux Loaded: loaded (/lib/systemd/system/plexmediaserver.service; enabled; vendor Active: failed (Result: exit-code) since Sun 2018-12-23 07:22:59 EST; 4min 44 Process: 2672 ExecStart=/bin/sh -c LD_LIBRARY_PATH=/usr/lib/plexmediaserver "/ Process: 2670 ExecStartPre=/bin/sh -c /usr/bin/test -d "{PLEX_MEDIA_SERVER_AP
Main PID: 2672 (code=exited, status=255)

déc 23 07:22:54 Linux-Luc systemd[1]: plexmediaserver.service: Main process exit
déc 23 07:22:54 Linux-Luc systemd[1]: plexmediaserver.service: Failed with resul
déc 23 07:22:59 Linux-Luc systemd[1]: plexmediaserver.service: Service hold-off
déc 23 07:22:59 Linux-Luc systemd[1]: plexmediaserver.service: Scheduled restart
déc 23 07:22:59 Linux-Luc systemd[1]: Stopped Plex Media Server for Linux.
déc 23 07:22:59 Linux-Luc systemd[1]: plexmediaserver.service: Start request rep
déc 23 07:22:59 Linux-Luc systemd[1]: plexmediaserver.service: Failed with resul
déc 23 07:22:59 Linux-Luc systemd[1]: Failed to start Plex Media Server for Linu

I verified after the journalctl -xe |grep -i plex and look the first lines for the ERROR???:

déc 23 07:20:36 Linux-Luc plexmediamanager.desktop[1941]: [1982:1982:1223/072036.906072:ERROR:sandbox_linux.cc(364)] InitializeSandbox() called with multiple threads in process gpu-process.
déc 23 07:20:41 Linux-Luc plexmediamanager.desktop[1941]: [1941:1941:1223/072041.616664:ERROR:gpu_process_transport_factory.cc(967)] Lost UI shared context.
déc 23 07:20:42 Linux-Luc plexmediamanager.desktop[1941]: [1941:1941:1223/072042.406756:ERROR:x11_input_method_context_impl_gtk.cc(144)] Not implemented reached in virtual void libgtkui::X11InputMethodContextImplGtk::SetSurroundingText(const base::string16 &, const gfx::Range &)
déc 23 07:22:08 Linux-Luc sudo[2625]: luc : TTY=pts/0 ; PWD=/home/luc ; USER=root ; COMMAND=/bin/systemctl status plexmediaserver
déc 23 07:22:33 Linux-Luc sudo[2641]: luc : TTY=pts/0 ; PWD=/home/luc ; USER=root ; COMMAND=/bin/systemctl stop plexmediaserver.service
déc 23 07:22:42 Linux-Luc sudo[2645]: luc : TTY=pts/0 ; PWD=/home/luc ; USER=root ; COMMAND=/bin/systemctl start plexmediaserver.service
déc 23 07:22:42 Linux-Luc systemd[1]: Starting Plex Media Server for Linux…

ChuckPa · December 23, 2018, 2:32pm

What is “Plexmediamanager.destkop” ?

Are you using a 3rd party program or something not dowloaded from Plex?

perreaultluc2_gmail_com · December 23, 2018, 6:33pm

I don’t know. With my problem, I installed 2-3 times differents plex package so i supposed that this program come with the package. When I click on the software, the browser open for http://127.0.0.1:32400/web/index.html. I uninstalled the Plexmediamanager software but now I have this error:

luc@Linux-Luc:~$ sudo systemctl status plexmediaserver
Unit plexmediaserver.service could not be found.

So I think I will start from scratch for sure. I uninstalled the Plex media server in Ubuntu sofware option but I would like to be sure that I don’t have some files of PMS. What I could do?
Now, how can I reinstall the PMS? From the Ubuntu sofware Option or from https://www.plex.tv/fr/media-server-downloads/?

Thanks

perreaultluc2_gmail_com · December 23, 2018, 10:16pm

Hi,
I installed Ubuntu on my other computer who has windows 7 and I installed PMS with the file on your web site: plexmediaserver_1.14.1.5488-cc260c476_amd64.deb

Now PMS is active (running) always I tested the PMS on my LG tv (DLNA) and I saw the name of the Plex server. I selected the server but I had a window who said that he cannot find PMS. I have this message when the server is not running in Windows 7.

ChuckPa · December 24, 2018, 2:39am

This confuses me:

I installed Ubuntu on my other computer who has windows 7 and I installed PMS with the file on your web site: plexmediaserver_1.14.1.5488-cc260c476_amd64.deb

Is PMS running on the Linux machine or the Windows machine?

perreaultluc2_gmail_com · December 24, 2018, 1:55pm

I’m French Canadian so my english is not perfect I installed Ubuntu (for the second time) on my other computer (this computer has Windows 7 and now Ubuntu on other hard disk) so now I have two computers with Ubuntu.

I installed plexmediaserver_1.14.1.5488-cc260c476_amd64.deb on my new Ubuntu computer and PMS is active (running). Now my problem is that my LG television (DLNA) don’t see the server. I see the PMS name on the television but when I select it, I have a Plex screen who say that there is no PMS.

If I switch to Windows 7, the PMS works good. If I try in Ubuntu, I have the error screen in my television.

Thanks

perreaultluc2_gmail_com · December 25, 2018, 8:18pm

Ok I resolved my problem. I must have a Wifi connection on my television to active the DLNA network. The DLNA is not active with wired connection. Now I can reach the files in my PMS with my TV.

Thanks a lot for your support.

system · March 25, 2019, 8:25pm

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