Server Version#: 1.26.2.5797 both Linux and Windows
Player Version#: Roku: 7.0 Build 9
At the time I am writing this, this issue is still unresolved.
I tried adding a new movie to my portable raspberry pi Plex Media server with external 5 TB HD. The movie is in a MP4 format. Normally I simply open the Plex server on the PI and Scan Library Files and the movie is recognized. Sometimes I have to fiddle with getting the correct/best metadata image. Today, Linus Plex just would not recognize the MP4 movie. I tried changing the folder and file names, still nothing. Very frustrating.
I was able to successfully open the MP4 with VLC on the Linux system. So I could confirm that the file is fine.
Then, I moved the movie folder and movie file over to my Windows Plex Server (different HD on my local network) and it recognized the MP4 movie no problem. Again, moved everything back as-is, since those names and formats worked on Windows Plex to the Linux/Pi Plex server. Still no recognition.
As of now, I am converting the format to MKV, since I know that works.
Anyone knows what happened here with the MP4 file and Linux Plex?
The whole point of this was to move the children’s movie to my portable media server to bring to my grand kids house for “movie night.”
Thank you for your response. I was thinking the same thing when after adding two ripped and Handbraked movies, as I usually do, they, too, would not add. Also, the movie that was MP4 was replaced with MKV format and same issue. This is the first time after using the Pi as a media server for about a year that this has happened.
Specifically, permissions for the 3 new files (original and two newly ripped and compressed files):
View: Anyone, Change Content: Anyone, Execute: Anyone
This I got from the file properties in the directory.
Like I said in the initial post, all 3 files can be opened without problem with VLC.
used sudo chmod 644 -R
Still not able to access after Scan of Library files
then used ls -al for MOVIES directory and all folders had full permissions
then used ls -al for the individual movie directory with the MKV file for the new movies add and they too had all permissions.
At a loss here on what to do next. Any ideas?
Thank you,
Chuck
Oh, yeah. All directories and movie files are owned by “pi” and in group “pi”. This includes accessible movies as well as the recently added movies which I cannot see in Plex.
Looking at the log file and found errors after doing a library scan:
Jun 03, 2022 11:27:51.950 [0xb17c9d44] ERROR - Couldn’t check for the existence of file “/media/pi/PlexMedia_Server/Media/Movies/.grab”: boost::filesystem::status: Permission denied: “/media/pi/PlexMedia_Server/Media/Movies/.grab”
Jun 03, 2022 11:27:51.951 [0xb17c9d44] ERROR - Couldn’t check for the existence of file “/media/pi/PlexMedia_Server/Media/TV Shows/.grab”: boost::filesystem::status: Permission denied: “/media/pi/PlexMedia_Server/Media/TV Shows/.grab”
Could this be the problem? If so, how do I fix this?
Attached is the full log file. Plex Media Server.log (1009.7 KB)
So, I am completely frustrated right now. The more I dive into this issue (understand I know next to nothing about Linux; a Windows user since the '80’s) the less confident I am about doing any changes.
Using Linux command, “df” I can certainly see the external USB Seagate HD. “dev/sda2” . It appears to be mounted. Likewise, “sudo cat /proc/mounts” shows the same entry.
As I said initially, the movie files are accessible by VLC, just not Plex. On checking Plex can no longer load any listed movies, all “unavailable.” This problem is not just a matter of not recognizing new files during a library scan, but apparently all files in the “movies” folder. This situation has just started. A week ago everything was working as expected. I have no idea what has changed.
Within Plex, when trying to edit the location of Movie files, unable to select the HD file location.
In most web postings, it appears that Plex uses the plex user/group names, while my server was set up using pi/pi. There is no plex user/group that I can find on the computer. Has something changed in plex to require the plex user/group? Do I need to create such a group and assign the pi/pi credentials to plex/plex?
Saw one web posting about adding a manual HD mount. Not sure if this is what I should do?
At this point, this appears to be an issue of getting Plex to recognize the external HD as a library source.
Any suggestions or direction are greatly appreciated!
Thank you,
Chuck
FIXED!
After my last post, just a few minutes ago, I tried something else which did allow all the files to be recognized by Plex: simply deleted the MOVIES library (and then the TV SHOWS, too), then re-added the MOVIES. “Add folder” now recognized the external HD location and files and after recreating the metadata/thumbnails, all was available.
Not sure what why this happened, but did finally find a fix.
Chuck
