Server keeps going offline after latest update 1.43.0.104672

Plex Media Server
1

Running PMS on Windows 11 Pro. I got a notice that a new update was available so I just updated to latest version, and now the server doesn’t seem to want to stay online.

If I close and restart the server it will come back online just fine, but for some reason after some unknown amount of time (stays on for 10-15 min minimum, but not more than an hour) it goes offline again even though it still shows as running in my system tray. I’ve done, and changed nothing, other than update to the latest version (Jan 26th) as requested and I believe it’s been happening ever since then. Is 1.43.0.104672 unstable?

Please don’t suggest downgrading as this is merely avoiding the problem not fixing it. Updates should work. As well I have a very large, very robust, and very customized library and I don’t want to mess with it or jeopardize all the work I’ve put in to it by going through the steps of downgrading. I’ve lost my library before trying to save and transfer database files when machine transferring, removing and reinstalling PMS and just don’t want to go there again.

2

Attach a set of debug server log files that capture the problem.

Settings → Troubleshooting → Download Logs.
Upload the entire zip file to the thread. Drag it into the message window and wait for it to upload.

3

Plex Media Server Logs_2026-01-28_11-53-30.zip (4.7 MB)

Okay.. here it is. Appreciate anything you can help with.

Also, if it’s not too much trouble please let me know what you do with this file that tells you what’s wrong. I’m fairly computer savvy, but only common stuff and not to a programming level.. but I’m always open to learning.

When I open it I see a ton of files, so what specific file (or files) do you look at and what do you look for in those files? Some I can’t open, the text files I can open in notepad. But I’d love to learn how to do this myself so I can avoid bothering anyone or junking up the forums with my issues.

Thank you kindly!

4

Plex may be non-responsive, but it is still running. The two shutdowns in the log files are orderly (meaning you or something else gracefully stopped Plex Media Server).

Verbose Logging

Disable verbose logging in Settings → server_name → General + Show Advanced (reference). Debug logging is sufficient. Verbose adds many additional lines to the log files. It can cause them to wrap too quickly, losing desired information.

Plex Media Server must be restarted for the change to take effect.

Fan art plugin errors

Plex is logging errors for the legacy Fanart.tv agent.

  1. In Settings → Agents (Legacy), uncheck Fanart.tv anywhere it is checked.

  2. Delete the plug-in caches directories.
    See Clearing Plugin/Channel/Agent HTTP Caches.

  • Stop Plex Media Server.
  • Go to /Plug-in Support/Caches in the Plex Data Folder.
  • Delete everything in Caches. Plex will re-create them.
  • Start Plex Media Server.

VPN on server?

If so, configure it to not run/connect when the system starts, you login, etc.

Restart the PC

This restarts everything, not just Plex. Makes sure Windows networking is restarted, etc.

Start with those steps. If you still have issues, pull and post another set of log files.


Reading Log Files

The log files are cryptic and there is no magic decoder ring. They’re written by the devs for the devs. End users are not the intended audience. There are many false positives. You learn which ones are real or not by experience and reading/posting in the forum.

The primary log file is Plex Media Server.log and its rollovers .1.log to .5.log.

When you start Plex it bumps the log files. They also rollover when they reach a pre-set size limit.

You recently restarted Plex, so Plex Media Server.log contains the entries since startup.

This is Plex Media Server starting. It will be in the top 10 lines whenever PMS starts.
Jan 28, 2026 11:51:00.008 [8596] DEBUG - BPQ: [Idle] -> [Starting]

The bottom of Plex Media Server.1.log has the last entries before Plex was stopped.

This is a graceful shutdown. If Plex had crashed, then these lines would not be present.

Jan 28, 2026 11:50:52.929 [4768] DEBUG - Ordered to stop server.
...
Jan 28, 2026 11:50:52.974 [2692] DEBUG - Stopping server...
...
Jan 28, 2026 11:50:53.240 [2692] DEBUG - Database: Shutting down.

Fanart error messages. These repeat many times. Not sure fanart.tv is the cause of your problems, but they’re in the log files several times, including before you shutdown Plex.

Jan 28, 2026 11:50:35.133 [7688] ERROR - [Req#a936] Timeout or error reading status line from plug-in pipe [com.plexapp.agents.fanarttv], we're killing it.
Jan 28, 2026 11:50:35.133 [7688] DEBUG - [Req#a936] Stopping [com.plexapp.agents.fanarttv].
Jan 28, 2026 11:50:35.133 [7688] DEBUG - [Req#a936] [com.plexapp.agents.fanarttv] Killing.
Jan 28, 2026 11:50:35.134 [7688] ERROR - [Req#a936] Error received reading configuration for com.plexapp.agents.fanarttv
Jan 28, 2026 11:50:35.134 [7688] DEBUG - [Req#a936] Stopping [com.plexapp.agents.fanarttv].

False Positive Examples

The developers changed something, but have not updated the log messages.
Jan 27, 2026 22:21:02.802 [16188] ERROR - [Req#ecd] Unknown metadata type: folder

Plex no longer uses client profile files, but still logs when one does not exist.
Jan 27, 2026 21:59:05.659 [14036] ERROR - [Req#ce6] Unable to find client profile for device; platform=Tizen, platformVersion=5, device=19_MUSEL_UHD_BASIC, model=UN58RU710DFXZA


Bad Problems

This is NOT from your server. Just an example.
Any ERROR message that says the database is corrupt or malformed.

Jul 05, 2020 19:36:56.959 [0x7f59f1b85740] ERROR - SQLITE3:(nil), 11, database corruption at line 64817 of [bf8c1b2b7a]
Jul 05, 2020 19:36:56.959 [0x7f59f1b85740] ERROR - SQLITE3:(nil), 11, statement aborts at 10: [select max(max(metadata_items.changed_at),max(metadata_items.resources_changed_at)) from metadata_items] database disk image is malformed
Jul 05, 2020 19:36:56.978 [0x7f59f1b85740] ERROR - Database corruption: sqlite3_statement_backend::loadOne: database disk image is malformed
5

FordGuy… first of all thank you very very much for your assistance.

Here are my responses to your comments:

  1. I actually enabled verbose logging after this problem began because I thought it may better track the problem. No worries though.. per your instruction I just disabled it again.

  2. In settings-agents(legacy) there’s nothing there to select (see screenshot). I assume this is good. Nevertheless, I navigated to the Caches folder and deleted everything as you said, and after starting PMS again things were recreated in that folder.

  3. I do have a VPN (ExpressVPN), but due to it cutting off Remote Access I utilize it’s Split-Tunneling feature to exclude PMS from being behind by the VPN so that the Remote Access works fine… and it has been working fine this way for a long time. Oddly though, when I try to go to Movies-Manage Library-Edit, the window pops up where I can Add Folders and what not, but the options themselves are not available/selectable. I usually have to disable my VPN entirely in order to Add Folders or make changes to the Movies folder. Afterward I turn it back on again and everything is fine. That being said, I do need to use my VPN on my PC for other programs that run 24/7. Please let me know if you think the VPN is causing issues. I don’t see how it should though since I’m excluding the PMS from being behind the VPN. However, it’s strange to me that even though it’s excluded I cannot edit the movie folder. My suspicion is that it’s the Plex Agent I’m using to access the server IS running behind the VPN, and that’s what is not allowing me access to editing the Movie library. Something I’ve been considering doing is reversing the Split Tunneling feature where basically I change it to only apply the VPN to the specific programs I want to use behind the VPN (i.e. web browsing, p2p apps, etc) thus leaving the rest of my PC off the VPN, but I’m not particularly fond of doing this because I do want my entire PC behind a VPN (then again it does prevent me from using Remote Desktop, so that’s another reason I’m considering it). Anyway, again.. please let me know if you think this may be causing an issue. Inherently though I don’t think it should be because, as I said before, it’s been working fine this way for over a year. Only with this recent server update has PMS been crashing.

  4. Yes, I’ve restarted the PC plenty of times.

Thank you again and again for your help. I’ve done what I said so far. I did notice that in the Caches folder there was a file/folder that said fanart, but that’s gone now per your steps. I’ll see if this solves the issue. It’s the only new thing I’ve done because, as I said, verbose logging was off when the problem started. If it disconnects again I’ll upload the logs again.

Cheers.

Screenshot showing nothing in the Agents(legacy) menu about fanart:

Screenshot 2026-01-28 143155
Screenshot 2026-01-28 143155985×489 26.7 KB

6

Just wanted to give an update that the server seems to be online now and stable. So I’m assuming the junk that was in the Caches folder was the issue and the new update didn’t like whatever was in there. I’ll call this ”problem solved” for now, and let you know if it happens again. Fingers crossed.

I greatly appreciate your assistance with this. I would have never guessed or found out what the problem was.

Cheers.

7

Glad things are up and running. Reply back if things go bad.

To follow up on a couple of things…

Legacy Agents

Starting with PMS 1.43 they’re hidden. You should not need to use them. However, if the need arises, you can make them visible in Settings → Library → Show legacy agents during library setup.

VPN

The VPN should not interfere with Plex discovering files, generating thumbnails, etc., since that is all local to the server.

If it interferes with local connections, try enabling Options → General → Allow access to devices on local network.

I cannot advise about how to setup split tunneling with Plex Remote Access. I’ve ExpressVPN on my Windows desktop, but I run PMS on a Linux system w/o a VPN. I’ve never tried to use Plex Media Server and a VPN on the same system.

8

I believe I have the same or a similar issue to the author of this post. I have tried the steps in this post and it did not seem to fix the issue. Would you mind giving my logs a peak if you get a chance to see if you can point me in a direction of a possible fix. I think it’s the fanart.tv that’s causing problems, but I don’t really know. But from reading this post it sounds like we have very similar set ups and I updated windows and plex and can’t tell which one is causing the problems.

Plex Media Server Logs_2026-02-26_20-55-12.zip (4.1 MB)