Plex Periodically Self Purging Library - Havinig to restore com.plexapp.plugins.library.db

[garion29]

Server Version#: 1.40.0.7775
Player Version#: N/A - All Versions

Hi Everyone,

I have been having an issue with my Plex Server for the last couple of months where what appears to be happening is a library scan runs and it from what I can gather from the logs is purging everything in the library.

At first I thought there might have been a database corruption so I ran the commands from the relevant KB describing the process with no luck, the library was still empty.

I then removed the library and let Plex rebuild it from scratch and yet again what now I understand from the logs it ran a library update and wiped all the indexed content.

I really am at a loss of what to do, I have found entries in the ‘Plex Media Server.log’ which I thought might be relevant below

Dec 30, 2023 16:39:57.969 [18040] DEBUG - Asked to cull library timeline before time 1703913597, we’re starting with 99 items.
Dec 30, 2023 16:39:57.969 [18040] DEBUG - Library timeline cull complete with 99 items left.
Dec 30, 2023 16:39:57.971 [18040] DEBUG - Scanning TV Shows using en-US(Plex TV Series) with 23233 current media items and 1 section locations in the database.
Dec 30, 2023 16:39:57.971 [18040] DEBUG - Performing a scan with ‘Plex TV Series’ (language: en-US virtual: 0).
*Dec 30, 2023 16:39:57.971 [18040] DEBUG - * Scanning T:*
Dec 30, 2023 16:39:58.047 [18040] DEBUG - Scanner: Processing directory T:\ (parent: no)
Dec 30, 2023 16:39:58.058 [18040] DEBUG - Skipping over directory ‘’, as nothing has changed; removing 0 media items from map.
Dec 30, 2023 16:39:58.058 [18040] DEBUG - Activity: updated activity c1f83727-d458-44dd-add5-5f2df5e9e85f - completed 99.0% - Scanning TV Shows
Dec 30, 2023 16:39:58.058 [18040] DEBUG - Scanner [Plex TV Series]: Idle and left with 23233 media items.
Dec 30, 2023 16:39:58.077 [18040] DEBUG - Removing 23233 media items that were left.
Dec 30, 2023 16:39:58.077 [18040] DEBUG - Deleting media item 193276.
Dec 30, 2023 16:39:58.078 [18040] DEBUG - Was connected to metadata item 90426, count is now 0.
Dec 30, 2023 16:39:58.078 [18040] DEBUG - Destroying metadata item 90426 (The British 'ave Come)
Dec 30, 2023 16:39:58.082 [18040] DEBUG - Updating deletion state for metadata item 90425, is has a dead item count of 0.
Dec 30, 2023 16:39:58.082 [18040] DEBUG - Updating deletion state for metadata item 90424, is has a dead item count of 0.

Then a lot of repeating information as above to the point where it starts removing the folders;

Dec 30, 2023 16:46:04.553 [18040] DEBUG - Was connected to metadata item 108652, count is now 0.
Dec 30, 2023 16:46:04.554 [18040] DEBUG - Destroying metadata item 108652 (Home for Christmas)
Dec 30, 2023 16:46:04.555 [18040] DEBUG - Destroying metadata item 108647 (Season 2)
Dec 30, 2023 16:46:04.556 [18040] DEBUG - Destroying metadata item 108609 (Teen Mom 2)
Dec 30, 2023 16:46:04.559 [18040] DEBUG - Removing 1803 directories that were left.
Dec 30, 2023 16:46:04.559 [18040] DEBUG - Deleting directory ['Allo 'Allo!] (10793)
Dec 30, 2023 16:46:04.559 [18040] DEBUG - Deleting directory ['Allo 'Allo!/Season 1] (10794)
Dec 30, 2023 16:46:04.560 [18040] DEBUG - Deleting directory ['Allo 'Allo!/Season 2] (10795)
Dec 30, 2023 16:46:04.560 [18040] DEBUG - Deleting directory ['Allo 'Allo!/Season 3] (10796)
Dec 30, 2023 16:46:04.560 [18040] DEBUG - Deleting directory ['Allo 'Allo!/Season 4] (10797)
Dec 30, 2023 16:46:04.560 [18040] DEBUG - Deleting directory ['Allo 'Allo!/Season 5] (10798)
Dec 30, 2023 16:46:04.561 [18040] DEBUG - Deleting directory ['Allo 'Allo!/Season 6] (10799)
Dec 30, 2023 16:46:04.561 [18040] DEBUG - Deleting directory ['Allo 'Allo!/Season 7] (10800)
Dec 30, 2023 16:46:04.561 [18040] DEBUG - Deleting directory ['Allo 'Allo!/Season 8] (10801)
Dec 30, 2023 16:46:04.561 [18040] DEBUG - Deleting directory ['Allo 'Allo!/Season 9] (10802)
Dec 30, 2023 16:46:04.562 [18040] DEBUG - Deleting directory [1000-lb Sisters] (10803)
Dec 30, 2023 16:46:04.562 [18040] DEBUG - Deleting directory [12 Monkeys] (10809)
Dec 30, 2023 16:46:04.563 [18040] DEBUG - Deleting directory [12 Monkeys/Season 1] (10810)
Dec 30, 2023 16:46:04.563 [18040] DEBUG - Deleting directory [12 Monkeys/Season 2] (10811)
Dec 30, 2023 16:46:04.563 [18040] DEBUG - Deleting directory [12 Monkeys/Season 3] (10812)
Dec 30, 2023 16:46:04.563 [18040] DEBUG - Deleting directory [12 Monkeys/Season 4] (10813)
Dec 30, 2023 16:46:04.563 [18040] DEBUG - Deleting directory [1899] (10814)
Dec 30, 2023 16:46:04.563 [18040] DEBUG - Deleting directory [1899/Season 1] (10815)
Dec 30, 2023 16:46:04.563 [18040] DEBUG - Deleting directory [30 Rock] (10816)
Dec 30, 2023 16:46:04.563 [18040] DEBUG - Deleting directory [30 Rock/Season 1] (10817)
Dec 30, 2023 16:46:04.564 [18040] DEBUG - Deleting directory [30 Rock/Season 2] (10818)

I have archived up the complete logs from when I have caught this happening, while I can keep restoring the database it really isn’t ideal!

Cheers,
Adam.

[tom80H]

Looks like your server can see/access the drive but none of the media directories/files while scanning. The library appears to be configured to empty its trash after every scan, hence the culling of library items showing in your logs.

Key question should be why Plex fails to see/access your files. Could be an issue with how the directories are mounted.

Side note (probably unrelated): you seem to use drive letters as library folders (T:\). This can produce some funny results. It’s usually considered better practice to only add dedicated directories to libraries (e.g. T:\TV Shows\).

[cblevins321]

Related to above; are your lettered drives actually locally-attached drives (internal or USB) or are they network drives? It might be more reliable to use the \Server\Share\TV format for these instead in case the link is lost by Windows.