# plex server lost identity

**URL:** <https://forums.plex.tv/t/plex-server-lost-identity/233001>\
**Category:** General Discussions\
**Created:** [April 18, 2018, 1:49am UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/plex-server-lost-identity/233001 "2018-04-18T01:49:16Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![jlim0930](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/plex/user_avatar/forums.plex.tv/jlim0930/32/3621_2.png) [@jlim0930](https://forums.plex.tv/u/jlim0930)\
**Post date:** [April 18, 2018, 1:49am UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/plex-server-lost-identity/233001/1 "2018-04-18T01:49:16Z")

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this is the 2nd time this has happened… my plex server while running fine rebooted itself for some reason and now it is lost and acts like a unconfigured server where i have to discover it and claim it. all my settings are gone but my library is still ok…

not sure if any of the logs are salvageable since i restarted the server a few times already…

does this happen to other people also ?

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**Author:** ![jlim0930](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/plex/user_avatar/forums.plex.tv/jlim0930/32/3621_2.png) [@jlim0930](https://forums.plex.tv/u/jlim0930)\
**Post date:** [April 18, 2018, 2:46pm UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/plex-server-lost-identity/233001/2 "2018-04-18T14:46:50Z")

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looks like something hapened between these two crashes but dont know what… was not even logged into the server yesterday

Apr 17, 2018 16:13:16.258 [0x7f2f5b3ff700] DEBUG - Job running: ‘/usr/lib/plexmediaserver/CrashUploader’ ‘–directory=/var/lib/plexmediaserver/Library/Application Support/Plex Media Server/Crash Reports/1.12.3.4973-215c28d86’ ‘–version=1.12.3.4973-215c28d86’ ‘–platform=linux-ubuntu-x86\_64 (3.10.0-693.21.1.el7.x86\_64 (#1 SMP Wed Mar 7 19:03:37 UTC 2018))’ ‘–serverUuid= **89cbe57839b6f0263fe0de4b799ae260e4e7cf87** ’ ‘–userId=**[xxxxx@yahoo.com](mailto:xxxxx@yahoo.com)**’ ‘–url=https://crashreport.plexapp.com’  
./Plex Media Server.5.log

Apr 17, 2018 20:12:15.006 [0x7f06affff700] DEBUG - Job running: ‘/usr/lib/plexmediaserver/CrashUploader’ ‘–directory=/var/lib/plexmediaserver/Library/Application Support/Plex Media Server/Crash Reports/1.12.3.4973-215c28d86’ ‘–version=1.12.3.4973-215c28d86’ ‘–platform=linux-ubuntu-x86\_64 (3.10.0-693.21.1.el7.x86\_64 (#1 SMP Wed Mar 7 19:03:37 UTC 2018))’ ‘–serverUuid= **1162253848c120996646e960f5499e4ecdb57db5** ’ ‘–userId= **NOUSERID** ’ ‘–url=https://crashreport.plexapp.com’  
./Plex Media Server.3.log

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**Author:** ![sa2000](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/plex/user_avatar/forums.plex.tv/sa2000/32/6922_2.png) [@sa2000](https://forums.plex.tv/u/sa2000)\
**Post date:** [April 20, 2018, 4:11pm UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/plex-server-lost-identity/233001/3 "2018-04-20T16:11:49Z")

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This would happen if the Preferences.xml file is lost and a new one created

See this support article for the location of the Preferences.xml file  
[https://support.plex.tv/articles/201105343-advanced-hidden-server-settings/](https://support.plex.tv/articles/201105343-advanced-hidden-server-settings/)

[plex.tv](http://plex.tv) server info shows It was created 3 days ago

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**Author:** ![jlim0930](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/plex/user_avatar/forums.plex.tv/jlim0930/32/3621_2.png) [@jlim0930](https://forums.plex.tv/u/jlim0930)\
**Post date:** [June 6, 2018, 2:27am UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/plex-server-lost-identity/233001/4 "2018-06-06T02:27:30Z")

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thanks… i started backing up the preferences.xml along with the database on daily basis now.

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**Author:** ![system](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/plex/original/3X/2/a/2acb9765406f63293d357b4ec509ec39aa28f2ad.png) [@system](https://forums.plex.tv/u/system)\
**Post date:** [January 8, 2020, 12:56am UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/plex-server-lost-identity/233001/5 "2020-01-08T00:56:11Z")

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