# Plex Server crashes while optimizing DB **URL:** \ **Category:** Plex Media Server\ **Tags:** server-windows\ **Created:** [October 31, 2022, 8:29am UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/plex-server-crashes-while-optimizing-db/816768 "2022-10-31T08:29:46Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![yannw](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/aeb1de/32.png) [@yannw](https://forums.plex.tv/u/yannw)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2022, 8:29am UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/plex-server-crashes-while-optimizing-db/816768/1 "2022-10-31T08:29:46Z")
Server Version#: 1.29.1.6316 Player Version#: 4.87.2 i moved my plex installation to a new pc last year. since then i have a bad media library (see screenshot) which i can’t remove and this one let my plex server crash every time the db is optimized ![2022-10-31 09_19_38-Window](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/plex/original/4X/3/9/e/39e5cd76794b55243bf8c96f6cf1c18944995bf0.png) i searched for repair commands but they didn’t help. how can i remove this bad library ? ---
**Author:** ![yannw](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/aeb1de/32.png) [@yannw](https://forums.plex.tv/u/yannw)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2022, 9:52am UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/plex-server-crashes-while-optimizing-db/816768/3 "2022-10-31T09:52:08Z")
Hi, it’s for docker and linux only. i’m running a windows server. from a repair manual steps like recover or reindex fail: C:\Users\Administrator\AppData\Local\Plex Media Server\Plug-in Support\Databases\>sqlite3.exe “C:\Users\Administrator\AppData\Local\Plex Media Server\Plug-in Support\Databases\com.plexapp.plugins.library.db” SQLite version 3.39.4 2022-09-29 15:55:41 Enter “.help” for usage hints. sqlite\> .recover SQL error: unable to open database file sqlite\> PRAGMA integrity\_check; ok ---
**Author:** ![OttoKerner](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/plex/user_avatar/forums.plex.tv/ottokerner/32/10079_2.png) [@OttoKerner](https://forums.plex.tv/u/OttoKerner)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2022, 11:25am UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/plex-server-crashes-while-optimizing-db/816768/4 "2022-10-31T11:25:29Z")
Quite likely, your plex server was not shut down cleanly, or you made a copy of the [plex data folder](https://support.plex.tv/articles/202915258-where-is-the-plex-media-server-data-directory-located/) while the server was still running. Both can leave you with an unusable database file. > `SQL error: unable to open database file` This message is telling you that the database is either completely absent, or damaged beyond repair. You will have to go back to one of the backup copies: [https://support.plex.tv/articles/202485658-restore-a-database-backed-up-via-scheduled-tasks/](https://support.plex.tv/articles/202485658-restore-a-database-backed-up-via-scheduled-tasks/) (But do perform the repair steps with this as well!) ---
**Author:** ![yannw](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/aeb1de/32.png) [@yannw](https://forums.plex.tv/u/yannw)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2022, 12:10pm UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/plex-server-crashes-while-optimizing-db/816768/5 "2022-10-31T12:10:38Z")
the last backups have all the same status and the bad library because it’s since last year ☹ ---
**Author:** ![OttoKerner](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/plex/user_avatar/forums.plex.tv/ottokerner/32/10079_2.png) [@OttoKerner](https://forums.plex.tv/u/OttoKerner)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2022, 12:11pm UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/plex-server-crashes-while-optimizing-db/816768/6 "2022-10-31T12:11:34Z")
Then I’m afraid the only option is to start from scratch. ---
**Author:** ![yannw](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/aeb1de/32.png) [@yannw](https://forums.plex.tv/u/yannw)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2022, 12:22pm UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/plex-server-crashes-while-optimizing-db/816768/7 "2022-10-31T12:22:36Z")
☹ that will be weeks of work to correct and assign the metadata. ---
**Author:** ![OttoKerner](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/plex/user_avatar/forums.plex.tv/ottokerner/32/10079_2.png) [@OttoKerner](https://forums.plex.tv/u/OttoKerner)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2022, 12:23pm UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/plex-server-crashes-while-optimizing-db/816768/8 "2022-10-31T12:23:45Z")
It is crucial to act as swiftly as possible when there is suspicion of database damage. If you wait too long, this is what happens. ---
**Author:** ![system](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/plex/original/3X/2/a/2acb9765406f63293d357b4ec509ec39aa28f2ad.png) [@system](https://forums.plex.tv/u/system)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2023, 12:24pm UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/plex-server-crashes-while-optimizing-db/816768/9 "2023-01-29T12:24:42Z")
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