Plex Media Server Keeps Going Offline

Plex Media Server NAS & Devices
1

Server Version#: 1.42.2.10156
Player Version#:
<If providing server logs please do NOT turn on verbose logging, only debug logging should be enabled>

Since last Thursday I have been having a major problem with Plex Media Server.

It first started when I launched Plex on my Apple TV and saw that my libraries were all offline. So, I opened up my NAS T4-423 to check the status of the PMS. Everything looked fine, but I noticed that there was an available update. I figured this was probably the issue, so I updated.

After the update things were even more messed up, as I could not get Plex to stay in the “enabled” state. Every time I enabled it, it disabled again within seconds. I did a quick Google search and read through some Reddit posts and Plex forums, and realized that I was still running the old version of TOS (v. 5.1.145). I thought if I updated to the latest version (6.0.783), maybe that would solve the issue.

After updating TOS, it did solve the issue of Plex constantly disabling, but it did not fix the problem of the PMS not being reachable.

After an uninstall and re-install of Plex, I was able to open the app and go through the process of setting up Plex from scratch again, but as soon as I finished, it crashed and all my libraries became unavailable. I closed the window and tried to open it again, but received a blank page and a message saying the page could not be opened because the server could not be reached.

I went through numerous blogs and help suggestions online, contacted Terra-Master support, and even had a 90 minute remote help session from a Terra-Master engineer. He said he could not determine the cause of the issue, as everything appeared to be working fine from the hardware and TOS software side of things. He suggested it must be an issue with Plex itself.

I’ve tried a bunch of different things, including a complete factory reset of my NAS, with a fresh installation of TOS 6 and Plex. I’ve tried resetting my router to factory defaults. I’ve checked and rechecked all the permissions for the Users and Plex application. I’ve gone through everything I could think of. Nothing has worked.

Today I tried re-installing Plex again (this time I tried the manual installation of v. 1.43.0.1062 for Plex Pass users), and as usual, I was able to open PMS and go through the setup process.

Only this time, I didn’t immediately add any media sources to the library. I just skipped that part.Plex opened normally after this, and was still running an hour later. So, then I tried to add my media libraries. Everything seemed to be going smoothly, but when I finished adding my last library, it crashed again.

When I disabled and re-enabled the app to open it again, it opened, but as soon as the transcoding process started up again for all my added media, it crashed.

So, I’m wondering if it has something to do with the transcoding process that is causing it to constantly crash and then become unreachable?

I’m going to try another fresh installation, but this time only add one library and let it finish transcoding before attempting to add any additional libraries.

Has anyone else had this issue or anything similar? I really don’t know what else to try. The engineer from Terra-Master suggested that I contact Plex to submit the system files and logs he generated during our remote help session, but Plex doesn’t allow direct communication for tech support, which REALLY SUCKS!

2

Use the current public release 1.42.2. Also disable HEVC encoding if it is enabled.

Make sure the server is configured for debug server logs (default level), not verbose. Settings → Server_Name → General + Show Advanced

After a crash, restart Plex Media Server, wait 3 minutes to log the startup sequence, then pull the log files (settings → troubleshooting) and upload the zip file to the forum (drag it into the message window and wait for it to upload).

3

Okay, I’ll try that, but I have to uninstall it, delete the Plex folder from the NAS, then re-install it first.

I was able to get it up and running with only one small library added. I waited for it to completely finish analyzing the files. It was still working, so I tried adding another library source and then it crashed. Once it crashes, even if I disable and re-enable it, it crashes within seconds.

I can’t access the server at all, so I won’t be able to collect the logs after it crashes. I’ll have to try and get them from the Logs folder directly.

Stay tuned….

4

I thought I might have finally fixed it. I was able to open it after another re-installation, and then I immediately put something on to play, and kept playing content for 7 hours while I added all my libraries - waiting until each one finished processing.

Just when I was nearly finished, I attempted to add my American TV shows folder to the library. I usually always add this folder first, as it’s in alphabetical order. But this time I added it last. And as soon as I did, once it started to process the files, it crashed. And now I can’t get it to come back. Every time I disable and re-enable it, it just crashes and says the server is unreachable.

I’m including the log files and crash reports. I don’t know what else to do!

RateLimit.zip (213 Bytes)

Logs.zip (8.2 KB)

PMS Plugin Logs.zip (628 Bytes)

5

These 4 files were also created at the time of the server disconnecting. Not sure what they are, but thought I’d include them in case they help diagnose the problem.

Plex Media Server.zip (627 Bytes)

6

The Plex Media Server.zip file is empty - 0 bytes.

The default location for the log files is /Volume1/Plex/Library/Application Support/Plex Media Server/Logs.

If you can get to that location, pull the Plex Media Server.log file and its rollovers, Plex Media Server.1.log to .5.log if they exist. Hopefully they will show what is happening.

7

I discovered the problem. I still don’t understand how exactly it is causing it, but I now know what the cause is.

After adding all my libraries last night over a 7 hour period (letting each one finish processing before adding the next), everything was working perfectly! Until I added my “American TV” library. Once PMS started processing the contents of that library, it crashed again and it was the same story all over. Couldn’t access the server, couldn’t even get Plex to enable long enough to delete the American TV folder.

So, I uninstalled and deleted the Plex folder from the NAS again, rebooted, re-installed Plex, and this time I added ALL of my libraries except American TV. When I checked on it at the end of the day, everything was there and it was working perfectly! So I now know that there is something within the files of my American TV media that is causing the issue.

I’m going to create a whole new folder on the NAS, and migrate the media over that I know to be safe. This all started after I added S 01-03 of The Gilded Age last week. So I’m guessing that is what caused the issue. Why? I don’t know.

Anyway, issue solved. Very weird.

8

Yep! My solution worked. I created a new file folder for my US media, and cut/pasted my shows from the old folder into the new folder, but I didn’t include the recent download of The Gilded Age. (I own the series on DVD, but wanted to share it with my mum in another city, so I had downloaded the torrent so that she could watch it too - semi legal, since I DID buy it?)

Anyway, without that show in the folder, I had no problems adding the new Media Library, “US TV Shows.”

My only thought on what caused this terrible mess, is that maybe HBO deliberately uploaded their own torrent file of the show that was corrupted or contained some sort of virus specifically to cause issues like this??? Is that something companies do? I’ve never encountered anything like this before. Other than that, I have no other ideas as to why this particular media source caused the entire server to crash and be unable to connect again.

I’m just happy I finally figured it out and it’s all working properly again!

9

Glad you’re up and running.

I’ve not heard of HBO or any other studio pulling such hijinks. There’s a lot of junk on the Internet. You probably snagged files so poorly encoded that they crash the Plex transcoder.

FWIW, you could always rip the DVDs with MakeMKV or similar tools and load it on your server. MakeMKV is free, but you’ll need the activation key to rip Blu-rays.