Plex not finding new files until library is deleted and recreated

Plex Media Server Desktops & Laptops
1

Server Version#: Win 11 Home 23H2
Player Version#: 1.40.2.8395

I cannot find anyone with this same problem, so I’m coming here. I’ve run Plex for several years, never with an issue. I have two libraries, TV Shows and Movies. I only have a few dozen TV episodes, and presently have 16 movies.

When I add a new file to either library, Plex will not pick it up. I have tried running scans manually, I’ve done all the naming convention suggestions, rebooting the full server also doesn’t have them pop back in.

The only thing that does is creating a new library and pointing it back at that folder. It will find all the old files, and my missing one. Immediately though, I cannot pick anything new up through scanning. I’ve even left it for weeks, it doesn’t pick them up.

I’m SURE I’m missing something, but I can’t find anyone with a similar problem. Happy for suggestions and thanks!

2

You might have database corruption.

Pull the server log files (settings → troubleshooting) and unzip.

Look in Plex Media Server.log (and .1.log to .5.log) for ERROR messages with corruption or malformed (they will also have SQLITE3/sqlite3).

Example log entries showing database corruption:

Jul 05, 2020 19:36:56.959 [0x7f59f1b85740] ERROR - SQLITE3:(nil), 11, database corruption at line 64817 of [bf8c1b2b7a]
Jul 05, 2020 19:36:56.959 [0x7f59f1b85740] ERROR - SQLITE3:(nil), 11, statement aborts at 10: [select max(max(metadata_items.changed_at),max(metadata_items.resources_changed_at)) from metadata_items] database disk image is malformed
Jul 05, 2020 19:36:56.978 [0x7f59f1b85740] ERROR - Database corruption: sqlite3_statement_backend::loadOne: database disk image is malformed

If the database is corrupt, use the PlexDBRepair Utility. It is easier than performing the steps manually (Repair a Corrupted Database).

Download the Windows ZIP file, unzip, and run from the command line (stop Plex Media Server before running).

Download link. Click on the downward arrow on the far right to download.

Sample output:

c:\Temp\DBRepair-Windows>DBRepair-Windows.bat
13:15:43.10 --  ====== Session begins. (Mon 04/29/2024) ======
13:15:43.32 --  Exporting Main DB
13:15:43.74 --  Exporting Blobs DB
13:15:43.79 --  Exporting Complete.
13:15:43.80 --  Creating Main DB
13:15:43.88 --  Verifying Main DB
13:15:44.03 --  Main DB verification check is: ok
13:15:44.03 --  Main DB verification successful.
13:15:44.03 --  Creating Blobs DB
13:15:44.09 --  Verifying Blobs DB
13:15:44.12 --  Blobs DB verification check is: ok
13:15:44.12 --  Blobs DB verification successful.
13:15:44.13 --  Import and verification complete.
13:15:44.13 --  Reindexing Main DB
13:15:44.18 --  Reindexing Blobs DB
13:15:44.22 --  Reindexing complete.
13:15:44.22 --  Moving current DBs to DBTMP and making new databases active
        1 file(s) moved.
        1 file(s) moved.
        1 file(s) moved.
        1 file(s) moved.
13:15:44.24 --  Database repair/rebuild/reindex completed.
13:15:44.24 --  ====== Session completed. ======
3

My Plex Media Server.log didn’t show any errors with “corruption” or “malformed”.

I did the PlexDBRepair Utility anyway, and it WORKED. Everything is working flawlessly, thank you so much for the suggestion!

4

This topic was automatically closed 90 days after the last reply. New replies are no longer allowed.