Server Version#: 1.18.5.2309
Player Version#: 6.7.1 iPad (also occurs on web via plex.tv)
I’ve started experiencing “server is unavailable.” After a PMS restart the libraries are all available and the server works for one or two more media plays. Then it loses access to all library paths. As a check, I went to library management and found that when functioning correctly, the full NAS directories are available for selection to add. I also thought a refresh of the libraries may help as well, but that made no difference. When the problem occurs Library management doesn’t see other directories/folders outside the local directory for the currently used path. Apparently it now loses file system path information.
I’ve not had any problems like this before and this nas has been in operation for about 4 months now. I have another nas, a PR4100, that works just fine on the same network, significantly slower response, but works fine. Although I can’t specifically identify this is tied to the latest PMS update, it did occur coincident with the update. I downgraded the version to see if that would correct the problem but it has persisted.
My nas is an x72XT set up with QTS 4.4.1.1146, and PMS is installed on a 2TB M.2 drive. The libraries are on the main storage volume of mechanical drives in raid 6. I do have another M.2 set up as a read only cache, but not sure that helps speed at all. Both M.2 drives have been installed and running for about 2 months just fine. I used qnap migrate to move plex to the M.2 when I installed the ssd. That worked just fine as well. I have tried turning off the cache to see if that is causing the problem, but no difference.
I’m wondering if I need to do a complete uninstall and reinstall of the PMS app. That is obviously an arduous task unless I can get the metadata to be recognized correctly after reinstall.
Anyone else had this problem or suggestions to solve? I did find a post identifying QTS 4.4.1 as having file management issues, but it looked like that had been solved. Thanks in advance for any suggestions. Obviously this has recently been very frustrating as I really like this nas and its performance. Plex is the main purpose on the nas for my family.
Kinda hard, when you didn’t specified the library path, nor uploaded logs, but a wild guess here would be, that you are using the multimedia share that comes with QNAP?
I’m sorry. I’m not well versed in how to share logs or what is best to share. I just found that I can download logs and did so. There are about 144 files in the zip file. Which ones would help? I did go read the link you stated and unfortunately I am using the Multimedia folder. Had I known I would have done otherwise. Sounds like it would be best to move all the libraries to another new folder. Can I simply create a new folder on the same volume and move the separate media folders to that new folder? Then I’m sure I will need to set up the libraries again using the new locations. One more thought - any reason it would have worked fine up until now? Thanks for the help…
Understand and thank you. I’m in the process of moving the files now. Sure hope this fixes the problems. It is interesting to me that it has worked fine for about 4 months being setup wrong. A quick question about the cache If you don’t mind; do you think having a read only cache helps at all when PMS is on another SSD? I’ll post if this worked to remove the connection problems. Thanks again.
I have PMS on a dedicated SSD which is not cached. The SSD yields 535 MB/sec.
I have a 1TB PCIe cache for the main array. The main array cache is configured for “All I/O”. This is the biggest performance boost in the system.
OK - I moved all the video media from the QNAP Multimedia to a new share called PlexLibs. I followed the instructions and the move worked well. As an example, the location for a movies library is /share/CACHEDEV1_DATA/PlexLibs/Movies. I did the same for TV shows and other family video file libraries and picture libraries. Everything is now on the PlexLibs share now. After making the moves I tried accessing the server from my ipad and a Chrome web page (Plex.tv). After trying to play a couple of movies successfully it did the same thing and lost connection. The player returns the same not available message. Once this happens PMS on the QNAP server can’t be accessed at all via plex.tv or the iOS app. I had to manually restart it from the app center to download the log files. And this time it would not re-access the library files. I’ll probably have to restart the nas. I noticed that after restarting PMS that the library file locations changed from my assigned /share/CACHEDEV1_DATA/PlexLibs/Movies to /shares/Public/Shared Videos which does not exist. Plex must have done this itself. I will try to upload the log files.Plex Media Server Logs_2020-02-02_23-16-06.zip (6.8 MB)
I just realized that the new path I noted above was for the wrong server (it is on the PR4100) - sorry. However, the QNAP still shows accessing the assigned path but I experienced the same unaccessable failure.
I also realized that I attached the wrong log files. This is the right log files for the QNAP. Sorry - when the QNAP failed Plex.tv defaulted to the PR4100. This is the right file ==> Plex Media Server Logs_2020-02-02_23-53-57.zip (7.7 MB)
Dane22 and ChuckPA - I have discovered that when I don’t use the ipad to access the QNAP server it works without access failures. Once I use the ipad to access the server and play a movie, the next movie I try to play using the ipad returns the server is currently unavailable and it has crashed. I have to restart it. I did update to the latest version that was released today and I noticed that it said on linux systems that it would crash with file I/O problems. Is this an update problem for the QNAP NAS? Is this a problem with the ipad app update that was also recent? Thanks in advance.
The iPad app might need to have customizations reset (it can get confused).
I am seeing a disturbing warning in your logs. I think you have more than 8182 directories being monitored for media. 8192 is the Linux default allocation.
Plex uses that table to monitor your directories for new media.
When this table fills, the transcoder will also fail (it needs 2 slots)
If you use file station, you can have it count (under “Properties”) how many directories are in use for each of your shares. Obtain the sum total.
If this is more than 8192, We’ll adjust the table size on the QNAP to accommodate the need.
Wow. There’s no way I have that many directories defined as library data. I looked at properties for the share plex uses and calculated the size. It returned 12.47TB 50,462 files and 1212 folders. I guess that’s possible with all the family pictures/videos over 10+ years from cameras, 6 iPhones and several iPads along with the tv and movie files. I do still have older subtitle files for media, three difference languages that are stored with the video files. I sure don’t know where 8100+ directories would be visible to plex though. If it sees everything even though it isn’t part of the library then it is possible. I have the PR4100 connected via HybridMount for extra space for 4K media, and if it is seeing all those directories as well, then the total could be that high I guess.
After realizing the iPad was causing the problems, I used it on my PR4100 PMS and it did the same thing. The PR4100 server crashed after playing a partial movie and trying to access a second one. It plays the pre-roll and then tries to play the movie and returns that the server isn’t accessible. Then I go to the web access using plex.tv and it shows the PR4100 server is down and all libraries are inaccessible. Maybe this isn’t a qnap problem at all. But, if I need to set some parameter for directory count I should probably do that.
I do have years of data and media - a basement full of DVDs and Blu-ray’s, but thanks to plex they stay in the covers. I’ve been using plex for a long time as a plex pass holder. This account is for a second access approach for my kids that are away at college so they have plex pass benefits. My other account is much, much older. I just wish I knew more about this qnap nas as I love it. I keep bumping into a lot I don’t know about it. Thanks for your help!
Ok. I added them all up (those I could see in file station) and got 3993, but that doesn’t include a plex database backup I made that said it had a whopping 280411 folders. Not sure how that makes sense but I’ll look further at the backup directory. This backup is on my SSD in a share defined for Plex backup data only. I have a total of about 20TB of data on the QNAP now, and another 12TB on the PR4100, but only one directory is linked in the libraries to the QNAP using HybridMount with about 2TB of the 12 and about 5 folders for the files. Hope this helps.
Using HybridMount app to mount the WD as a local Ethernet drive. To my knowledge it doesn’t use or go through the cloud at all. It just enables an Ethernet drive to be mounted as a share/directory storage source. I have found I do have to “wake it” at times via file station when plex can’t find the source file being requested, but that has never caused plex to crash in the past. I’m thinking of getting a TR-004 to add to the server via usb instead, but have held off hoping qnap would release the new thunderbolt 3 based expansions.
Anyway - it doesn’t appear to be a qnap problem at this point. Do you know if the iPad app issue is being worked or if I need to do something different with that? Coincidentally, I believe the app update was about the same time as the PMS update, and because I only really use the qnap myself for plex (pinned libraries for me on the iPad app), it didn’t cross my mind to question the app when the server was crashing.
QNAP Hybrid Cloud uses local storage as a Cache for true remote cloud.
What iPad issue? The issue you report here is unique to you from what little is known at this point. I have iPads as well and do not experience this problem.
I truly think we’re going to find this is a networking issue when all is said and done. It has a ‘strange’ feeling about it.
Would you educate me please what each of your network adapters is doing? (I assume 192.168.0.3 is the Default Gateway / main LAN adapter IP ?
Ok. You are correct, 192.168.0.3 is the qnap nas IP and virtual switch connected to my router via Ethernet 2 on the nas. 10.0.5.1 is a Ubuntu docker container - looks to be associated with Linux Station, which I’ve used occasionally to check CPU temperatures, clock speeds, etc. 10.0.3.1 is another docker that shows up in QVPN - not sure for what this is used; I’m only guessing, but is QVPN installed in a container? 169.254.11.235 is the thunderbolt 3 card which isn’t being used now, and there are two associated with this IP that show up in network and virtual switch. I don’t recognize the 127.0.0.1 and can’t find it associates with the nas.
Hope this helps, but nothing has changed in terms of network configuration since I set up Linux Station, probably two months ago now. In other words, this network configuration shouldn’t have changed in the past two months or so.
What is puzzling me is everything was working smoothly up until I did the qnap PMS app update the day before I started this topic when the problems began. One difference that I do recall is that for the first time, I used my iPad instead of my windows workstation to do the manual PMS app update. So, the download was to my iPad and then I browsed to the qpkg file on the iPad and updated the nas from there, via WiFi of course - only difference I can think of in the process from all prior updates.
