If you use a different windows account for installing Plex Media Server from the one you run the service under, you could adopt the method I use - see PMS as a service
Hi @sa2000.
No I am not using two accounts. Your first note explains a couple of things buts it’s a caused by using window 2016 server. Because you can’t run a desktop app on the server for long periods which is why I’m using the plex as a service app.
The upgrade method is basically stop service. Run pms to do upgrade and exit it back. Then restart the service.
I’m being lasy rather than downloading the msi and installing the software. Mostly because plex still will not convert pms onto a service on windows. Why they can’t steal the code from radarr or sonarr which support services completely with update installation is a mystery
Well that is risky - unless you make sure same machine identifier gets used. So the LocalAppDataPath setting in the registry for the account the service runs goes to the Administrator account local app data area. Where is the aab891d690eee5689969f525025ec3f2410261ce being picked from ?
That’s exactly my point. The same account is used all the time ‘without’ logging out or anything.
But considering the machine was using the same account etc You are asking the question I keep asking. Where does the additional Id come from. It’s part of the mess around why we lose storage space on the iOS which reacts badly to this process.
I’m totally sure I’m using the same machineid but given I cannt trace the code god only knows where it’s getting the machine id from!!!
(And I’m in Poland for work and the machine is in the UK)
So the account in the PlexService service Log On definition is the same account that you use to sign into and launch Plex Media Server manually to do the update ? Is it is a local account on the server of domain account?
And to understand what is happening and if you can get to your server remotely through TeamViewer or other software, , i would like you to launch RegEdit running as administrator and search HKEY_USERS for string value ab891d690eee5689969f525025ec3f2410261ce - You will find it in a user SID tree under Plex Media Server in registry item ProcessedMachineIdentifier
We then need to convert the SID to a windows account name and you can do that by going to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\ProfileList. in the registry and expanding it and then find the entry for that SID. - and then ProfileImagePath should point to the user.
I am expecting you to find a different user that has the registry settings - they will both have the same LocalAppDataPath as is evident in the logs but will have a different machine identifier values. One of these was created on 18th March 2018 - the other - the one you are using now was created 17th April 2018.
Basically you have two accounts in windows that have this registry area Software\Plex, Inc.\Plex Media Server - they both have LocalAppDataPath of C:\Users\Administrator\AppData\Local
having established which windows user account holds server instance ab891d690eee5689969f525025ec3f2410261ce - you can repeat the search to see which account holds this service id starting with 8c4a5bd87bb5892e7e - it should sufficient to search HKEY_USERS for the partial string value
Hi @sa2000
I’m happy to check but 99.999999999% I only have 1 account on this machine. I’ve only created 1 account and I manage the account closely so unless plex creates accounts. (Which i know it doesn’t) it’s the single account.
What’s that do to your thinking?
I am going to make a guess
You are probably running PlexService under the windows SYSTEM user account - and this is the 2nd account !
Ok so I’m back from Travelling.
Yes @sa2000 I do have the Local User account so I’ve now switched it to the single account. That will help with the installation problem and the Sync being corrected.
What are you Plex people going to do about the fact that the Services Support is Poor on Windows? I’ve been forced once again to deleted my iPadPro from my device list (with the 3 versions) and remove the Plex Client from the Ipad and reinstall Everything…
I have run Plex Media Server as a service for years using the solution provided by @cjmurph. What is important is not allowing Plex Media Server to run in 2 different accounts and the use of the SYSTEM account for the service is never recommended anyway
Even allowing it to run for few seconds with the wrong account could impact synced data
I’m sorry I’ve wasted your time… I’m very sorry, I’ll make sure I dont make any mistakes, or ask for help again afterall, it’s all my fault.
No Problem. We all do make mistakes.
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