Plex Media Server running on Ubuntu, but not available

Plex Media Server Desktops & Laptops
1

Hi everyone,

I’m able to reach the webserver at localhost:32400, but am no longer able to browse files or access server settings. I tried removing the server from my list of devices, and restarted the service, and I think I saw a message saying an unsecured server was detected on my network. I’ve attached my logs below

hungsu.com/plexlogs.zip

Here’s a screenshot of the message

2

Docker, right? Guessing from a look at the logs. This information is crucial as there is a huge difference between the docker and “normal” Linux installation. Please start your docker container temporarily with “–network host” to be able to access the server settings. The docker private network in bridge mode is different than the network of your host, i.e. server settings not available.

3

Hi uglymagoo! Um no, plex is installed directly on the server, though I have a lot of other services running in docker.

4

What is your host networking netmask? I’m specifically inquiring about RFC1918 and whether other devices are on the same subnet.
From your logs, it looks like everything is RFC compliant. The host’s ethernet controller is listed first so PMS will naturally gravitate to it as the default. If your other devices are on the other subnet, they won’t be able to find it by default because broadcast packets don’t cross subnet boundaries unless manually routed in the router.

5

255.255.255.0

Also if it helps I noticed this problem with plex after the machine’s OS drive ran out of space. I cleared up space and restarted the machine, but the problem persists. I’ve also attached a screenshot of the error message. Should I click the “Reload App Insecurely” link?

6

your screen shot didn’t attach (it takes a moment to upload and show you the URL in your reply text)

Since I’ve seen this before:

  1. Stop PMS
  2. sudo chown -R plex:plex /var/lib/plexmediaserver (sometimes the act of cleaning up dings ownership by fsck)
  3. Under Plex Media Server/Caches, delete everything you find in there. It’s just a cache and this cleans it out
  4. Start PMS
  5. If none of the above restores proper operation, you can PM me your “Preferences.xml” file. I suspect it’s damaged if none of the above restores normal operation. If you do, please include a link back to this thread .
1 Like
7

Thanks for bearing with me! I’ll try to list out in detail what I’ve done just in case it helps:

  1. The computer I’m talking to you on, and using to try to solve the problem is not the hosting server - It’s a Windows machine, and I am not physically in the building the Plex server is in. I’m using a VPN and I’m SSHing into the server to do everything. The server’s address is 192.168.1.2
  2. I confirmed that /var/lib/plexmediaserver is already owned by plex:plex with ls -l
  3. I ran sudo service plexmediaserver stop, deleted the Cache folder entirely, and ran sudo service plexmedia start, but when I open up 192.168.1.2:32400/web/index.html in this machine’s browser, I don’t see this server in the list of servers in the dropdown, and when I click the options button in the top right, there is no “Server” tab anymore.
  4. When I go to app.plex.tv/desktop, I see this message

8

I’m responding here so all can understand what happened and how to resolve.

I thought we might find this. The machine is identified but if you look, there is no PlexOnlineToken nor registration email address. Lots of info was lost. It actually doesn’t know who owns it. Did the machine get shutdown hard?

There is a way to resolve this without losing the machine’s existing identity (for all those you’ve shared with / granted permissions to).

  1. Stop PMS
  2. Rename Preference.xml to Preferences.xml.old
  3. Start PMS
  4. Step through an abbreviated “setup/claim” wizard by not creating any new libraries … Be certain to skip through that.
  5. When you arrive at the Dashboard, go into Settings - Server and setup those things you want again. (This is what got lost)
  6. When complete, remember to save the settings
  7. Stop PMS.

Now for the fun part.

  1. Open two text editors still as root. One for Preferences.xml and one for Preferences.xml.old
  2. You’ll immediately spot the differences.
  3. Copy/paste the old MachineIdentifier string to the new Preferences.xml file (overwriting what’s there)
  4. Do the same for ProcesssedMachineIdentifier and AnonymousMachineIdentifier values
  5. When all done, save the file
  6. Make certain Preferences.xml is owned again by plex:plex
  7. Start PMS.
  8. Observe normal connectivity back under your Plex account has been restored
9

Thanks again for taking the time to list so much out in detail

I stopped the service, renamed Preferences.xml, started the service again, and can see that PMS created a new Preferences.xml. But when I go to :32400/web in the browser…I don’t get a startup wizard. I just get the same interface, and no server in the dropdown list. Is there something else I have to do to start the wizard?

10

Sign your browser out of Plex/web. (what I forgot to mention… .Sorry)
Open the machine via it’s loopback (http://127.0.0.1:32400/web) just as you would on any initial setup)

11

This is odd. I logged out of my account, and when I visit :32400/web again…it redirects me from that address to app.plex.tv to log in. When I log in, it redirects me back to http://192.168.1.2:32400/web/index.html# …and with no wizard. Why is it forcing me to log in? Should I install a different PMS version? I currently have 1.13.2.5102-4898d7d96 - I installed this while I was trying to debug, I had 1.13.0.5023-31d3c0c65 before

12

Careful.

NOT :32400/web
USE http://127.0.0.1:32400/web

13

Thanks for everything ChuckPA! My plex server is running again though I did have to add my friends again (probably my fault somewhere along the way)

14

Just did update to 1.15.6.1079-78232c603 and is having same issue. But after renaming Preferences.xml PMS will not start. See below

● plexmediaserver.service - Plex Media Server

Loaded: loaded (/lib/systemd/system/plexmediaserver.service; enabled; vendor preset: enabled)

Active: failed (Result: exit-code) since Thu 2019-05-23 22:07:29 UTC; 544ms ago

Process: 2486 ExecStart=/bin/sh -c PLEX_MEDIA_SERVER_INFO_VENDOR="(grep ^NAME= /etc/os-release | awk -F= "{print \$2}" | tr -d \" )" PLEX_MEDIA_SERVER_INFO_DEVICE="PC" PLEX_MEDIA_SERVER_INFO_MODEL="(uname -m)" PLEX_MEDIA_SERVER_INFO_PLATFO

Process: 2478 ExecStartPre=/bin/sh -c /usr/bin/test -d “{PLEX_MEDIA_SERVER_APPLICATION_SUPPORT_DIR}" || /bin/mkdir -p "{PLEX_MEDIA_SERVER_APPLICATION_SUPPORT_DIR}” (code=exited, status=0/SUCCESS)

Main PID: 2486 (code=exited, status=134)

PLEASE HELP!!

16

On another issue, putting back the old Preferences.xml , PMS starts but is not accessible via web URL.

17

sudo chown -R plex:plex /var/lib/plexmediaserver WORKED!!

Thank you ChuckPA