My thinking is this:
- If there’s anything wrong – down deep in the database
- Writing a totally fresh one, with all new files and analysis for one Test section,
- We’ll know.
This may not prove anything other than verify it is/isn’t the DB & metadata
I’m thinking you may be right, at least I’m hoping - I performed the steps you requested and under a new DB with new metadata the files that were playing fine for me locally in the Chrome web player direct play where available and transcoded as well, same with Plex for Windows direct play where available and transcoding and Xbox is functioning normally.
I just threw in a couple of the TV episodes I was testing yesterday as well and they play fine in both players now as well.
So with this being said I think I’m clearly looking at re-building my database and likely metadata, but what is going to be the least painful way of doing this?
My primary concern is watched statuses - I know there’s a few SQL queries you can run to dump the data and reimport it - in-fact I performed this the last time I ran into an update issue with 1.22.1.4757 (or whatever that mess was).
After flip flopping versions I thought it best to try to create a “fresh db” and exported then reimported and then performed the steps for watched status and got a ton of errors (not sure if they were important). The steps seemed very outdated and not sure if they’re current with changes that have been made recently.
We can export the watch status from the old db and insert it into the new DB.
With the new Plex SQLite utility, it’s as easy as it used to be with the old SQLite directly.
Ok perfect, I’ll get started with recreating the libraries and getting new metadata.
Is there somewhere the Plex SQLite utility can be obtained from, or is it a hidden setting?
It’s sitting there in /usr/lib/plexmediaserver 
1 Like
Perfect thank you 
I’ll keep you posted as I progress, thank you again for your help so far.
I’ve backed up everything that was in the Database folder and I’m about to start deleting things. Can I get away with just deleting the Database and Metadata directories, or should the Media directory go as well?
Ideally it’d be awesome if everything matched already stayed matched and I could just redownload metadata. What do you think? I’m still not 100% sure of where the issue was with it previously.
WHOA there sport…
- Stand up the new server instance completely first
- Go to the old DB directory
- Export the Watch History
- Go to the new DB directory
- Import it
What do you want to do about the server ID info?
Do you share this server ?
This is why I’m asking questions before performing any (destructive) actions
I do share this server with some family and friends yes, ideally I’d like as much of the server to stay intact as possible. I don’t want to delete anything I don’t have to.
From the sounds of it, I can’t keep anything from my current library setup - which is fine, I was just trying to see if there was a shortcut.
Thank you… Now we can plan out the rest
-
Tell family & friends there will be a ‘brief maintenance interval’
-
Create the new Library sections. Get the media & metadata loaded & ready to go
-
When done, Stop PMS.
-
Copy the old Preferences.xml into the new instance (overwrite the test server identity)
a. This new server instance will assume the identity of the original
b. All existing shared folders remain intact -
Export the watch history from the old server database
-
Import the watch history into the new server database
-
Start PMS
-
Settings - Server
a. Make any last minute tweaks
b. You will have lost some due to the new DB -
Settings - Authorized Devices - Remove the test server instance.
-
Adjust for maximum
1 Like
Exactly what I was looking for (I like to read the instructions) thank you so much.
I’ll keep you posted!
Alright, server’s back up and back in business. I’ll keep an eye on it over the next week - hopefully I’m in the clear now.
Thank you again @ChuckPa for your help.
Sadly users are still getting playback errors, I also am getting an error stating my CPU isn’t powerful enough for conversion (it’s sitting at 3% usage) for HEVC media in Chrome which was never an issue before. Seems like a bitrate problem.
Some of the error’s I’m seeing start in Plex Media Server. 1.log
Plex Media Server Logs_2021-06-14_10-01-51.zip (5.0 MB)
I found this topic that looks like it could be related.
H.264 files in Chrome and Plex for Windows still have issues transcoding as well.
I am looking at your logs.
This isn’t a video transcode. This is video copied, audio transcoded. Audio is always CPU.
Jun 14, 2021 11:09:05.415 [0x7fe9249bab38] DEBUG - [Transcode] We're going to try to auto-select an audio stream for account 17431186.
Jun 14, 2021 11:09:05.415 [0x7fe9249bab38] DEBUG - [Transcode] Selecting best audio stream for part ID 182067 (autoselect: 0 language: en)
Jun 14, 2021 11:09:05.415 [0x7fe9249bab38] DEBUG - [Transcode] Audio Stream: 505459, Subtitle Stream: -1
Jun 14, 2021 11:09:05.417 [0x7fe9249bab38] DEBUG - [Transcode] Found session GUID of uas9vh4dckimu13jqbfsw8ri in session start.
Jun 14, 2021 11:09:05.417 [0x7fe9249bab38] DEBUG - [Transcode] Cleaning directory for session uas9vh4dckimu13jqbfsw8ri ()
Jun 14, 2021 11:09:05.418 [0x7fe9249bab38] DEBUG - [Transcode] Starting a transcode session uas9vh4dckimu13jqbfsw8ri at offset -1.0 (state=3)
Jun 14, 2021 11:09:05.419 [0x7fe9249bab38] DEBUG - [Transcode] [Universal] Using local file path instead of URL: /mnt/Echo/TV Shows/Last Week Tonight with John Oliver/Season 8/Last Week Tonight with John Oliver.S08E15.Episode 224.mkv
Jun 14, 2021 11:09:05.420 [0x7fe9249bab38] DEBUG - [Transcode/JobRunner] Job running: FFMPEG_EXTERNAL_LIBS='/var/lib/plexmediaserver/Library/Application\ Support/Plex\ Media\ Server/Codecs/fa235d6-3858-linux-x86_64/' X_PLEX_TOKEN='xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx' '/usr/lib/plexmediaserver/Plex Transcoder' '-codec:0' 'h264' '-codec:1' 'ac3' '-ss' '0' '-noaccurate_seek' '-analyzeduration' '20000000' '-probesize' '20000000' '-i' '/mnt/Echo/TV Shows/Last Week Tonight with John Oliver/Season 8/Last Week Tonight with John Oliver.S08E15.Episode 224.mkv' '-map' '0:0' '-codec:0' 'copy' '-filter_complex' '[0:1] aresample=async=1:ocl='\''stereo'\'':rematrix_maxval=0.000000dB:osr=48000[0]' '-map' '[0]' '-metadata:s:1' 'language=eng' '-codec:1' 'aac' '-b:1' '256k' '-f' 'dash' '-seg_duration' '5' '-init_seg_name' 'init-stream$RepresentationID$.m4s' '-media_seg_name' 'chunk-stream$RepresentationID$-$Number%05d$.m4s' '-window_size' '5' '-delete_removed' 'false' '-skip_to_segment' '1' '-time_delta' '0.0625' '-manifest_name' 'http://127.0.0.1:32400/video/:/transcode/session/uas9vh4dckimu13jqbfsw8ri/95a062ca-6e24-4771-b93f-b9b6429d411c/manifest?X-Plex-Http-Pipeline=infinite' '-avoid_negative_ts' 'disabled' '-map_metadata' '-1' '-map_chapters' '-1' 'dash' '-start_at_zero' '-copyts' '-vsync' 'cfr' '-y' '-nostats' '-loglevel' 'quiet' '-loglevel_plex' 'debug' '-progressurl' 'http://127.0.0.1:32400/video/:/transcode/session/uas9vh4dckimu13jqbfsw8ri/95a062ca-6e24-4771-b93f-b9b6429d411c/progress'
Jun 14, 2021 11:09:05.420 [0x7fe9249bab38] DEBUG - [Transcode/JobRunner] Jobs: Starting child process with pid 28158
Jun 14, 2021 11:09:05.428 [0x7fe91a091b38] DEBUG - Request: [127.0.0.1:39538 (Loopback)] PUT /video/:/transcode/session/uas9vh4dckimu13jqbfsw8ri/95a062ca-6e24-4771-b93f-b9b6429d411c/progress?status=startup (57 live) Signed-in Token (kazz3r24) (range: bytes=0-)
Jun 14, 2021 11:09:05.429 [0x7fe928096b38] DEBUG - Completed: [127.0.0.1:39538] 204 PUT /video/:/transcode/session/uas9vh4dckimu13jqbfsw8ri/95a062ca-6e24-4771-b93f-b9b6429d411c/progress?status=startup (57 live) 1ms 203 bytes (pipelined: 1) (range: bytes=0-)
Jun 14, 2021 11:09:05.430 [0x7fe92468bb38] INFO - [Transcoder] ffmpeg version fa235d6-3858 Copyright (c) 2000-2019 the FFmpeg developers
Jun 14, 2021 11:09:05.430 [0x7fe922899b38] INFO - [Transcoder] built with Plex clang version 11.0.1 (https://plex.tv e0c29d5827bc4eaaa2ceb882cbeed224b0960173)
Jun 14, 2021 11:09:05.431 [0x7fe921d7ab38] INFO - [Transcoder] configuration: --disable-static --enable-shared --disable-libx264 --disable-hwaccels --disable-protocol=concat --external-decoder=h264 --enable-debug --enable-muxers --fatal-warnings --disable-gmp --disable-avdevice --disable-bzlib --disable-sdl2 --disable-decoders --disable-devices --disable-encoders --disable-ffprobe --disable-ffplay --disable-doc --disable-iconv --disable-lzma --disable-schannel --disable-linux-perf --disable-mediacodec --enable-eae --disable-protocol='udp,udplite' --arch=x86_64 --target-os=linux --strip=true --cc=x86_64-linux-musl-clang --pkg-config=/data/jenkins/conan_build/871697973/plexconantool/plex-pkg-config --pkg-config-flags=--static --enable-cuda-llvm --enable-libdrm --enable-opencl --enable-cross-compile --ar=llvm-ar --nm=llvm-nm --ranlib=llvm-ranlib --extra-ldflags='-Wl,-rpath,/data/jenkins/conan_build/871697973/conan/.conan/data/libpciaccess/0.16-5/plex/stable/package/7763a87432c78a82fd36373080b064286892cea3/lib -Wl,-rpath,/data/jenkins/conan_build/871697973/conan/.conan/d
Jun 14, 2021 11:09:05.432 [0x7fe92237fb38] INFO - [Transcoder] libavutil 56. 26.100 / 56. 26.100
Jun 14, 2021 11:09:05.433 [0x7fe92242fb38] INFO - [Transcoder] libavcodec 58. 52.100 / 58. 52.100
Jun 14, 2021 11:09:05.433 [0x7fe92235cb38] INFO - [Transcoder] libavformat 58. 27.104 / 58. 27.104
Jun 14, 2021 11:09:05.434 [0x7fe91a970b38] INFO - [Transcoder] libavfilter 7. 49.100 / 7. 49.100
Jun 14, 2021 11:09:05.434 [0x7fe91a091b38] INFO - [Transcoder] libswscale 5. 4.100 / 5. 4.100
Jun 14, 2021 11:09:05.435 [0x7fe92468bb38] INFO - [Transcoder] libswresample 3. 4.100 / 3. 4.100
Jun 14, 2021 11:09:05.437 [0x7fe92235cb38] DEBUG - [Transcoder] Reading option '-noaccurate_seek' ...Rescanning for external libs: '/var/lib/plexmediaserver/Library/Application\ Support/Plex\ Media\ Server/Codecs/fa235d6-3858-linux-x86_64/'
Jun 14, 2021 11:09:05.437 [0x7fe91a970b38] DEBUG - [Transcod
PS: Please set the transcoder level back to debug. Verbose is too much.
The transcoder level? Oh from that script? I never touched that after my initial run. UI shows debugging is on verbose is always off.
I’ll wait for you to confirm before I do anything further.
This info
Jun 14, 2021 11:09:05.430 [0x7fe92468bb38] INFO - [Transcoder] ffmpeg version fa235d6-3858 Copyright (c) 2000-2019 the FFmpeg developers
Jun 14, 2021 11:09:05.430 [0x7fe922899b38] INFO - [Transcoder] built with Plex clang version 11.0.1 (https://plex.tv e0c29d5827bc4eaaa2ceb882cbeed224b0960173)
Jun 14, 2021 11:09:05.431 [0x7fe921d7ab38] INFO - [Transcoder] configuration: --disable-static --enable-shared --disable-libx264 --disable-hwaccels --disable-protocol=concat --external-decoder=h264 --enable-debug --enable-muxers --fatal-warnings --disable-gmp --disable-avdevice --disable-bzlib --disable-sdl2 --disable-decoders --disable-devices --disable-encoders --disable-ffprobe --disable-ffplay --disable-doc --disable-iconv --disable-lzma --disable-schannel --disable-linux-perf --disable-mediacodec --enable-eae --disable-protocol='udp,udplite' --arch=x86_64 --target-os=linux --strip=true --cc=x86_64-linux-musl-clang --pkg-config=/data/jenkins/conan_build/871697973/plexconantool/plex-pkg-config --pkg-config-flags=--static --enable-cuda-llvm --enable-libdrm --enable-opencl --enable-cross-compile --ar=llvm-ar --nm=llvm-nm --ranlib=llvm-ranlib --extra-ldflags='-Wl,-rpath,/data/jenkins/conan_build/871697973/conan/.conan/data/libpciaccess/0.16-5/plex/stable/package/7763a87432c78a82fd36373080b064286892cea3/lib -Wl,-rpath,/data/jenkins/conan_build/871697973/conan/.conan/d
Jun 14, 2021 11:09:05.432 [0x7fe92237fb38] INFO - [Transcoder] libavutil 56. 26.100 / 56. 26.100
Jun 14, 2021 11:09:05.433 [0x7fe92242fb38] INFO - [Transcoder] libavcodec 58. 52.100 / 58. 52.100
Jun 14, 2021 11:09:05.433 [0x7fe92235cb38] INFO - [Transcoder] libavformat 58. 27.104 / 58. 27.104
Jun 14, 2021 11:09:05.434 [0x7fe91a970b38] INFO - [Transcoder] libavfilter 7. 49.100 / 7. 49.100
Jun 14, 2021 11:09:05.434 [0x7fe91a091b38] INFO - [Transcoder] libswscale 5. 4.100 / 5. 4.100
Jun 14, 2021 11:09:05.435 [0x7fe92468bb38] INFO - [Transcoder] libswresample 3. 4.100 / 3. 4.100
is when the transcoder logging level is set to verbose
Here’s how you set it back to Debug
[chuck@lizum ~/bin.510]$ cat set-transcoder-debug
#!/bin/sh
Token="$(cat "/var/lib/plexmediaserver/Library/Application Support/Plex Media Server/Preferences.xml" | tail -1 | sed -e 's/.*PlexOnlineToken="//' | sed -e 's/".*//')"
curl http://127.0.0.1:32400/:/prefs/set\?TranscoderLogLevel=debug\&X-Plex-Token=$Token
echo Token=$Token
[chuck@lizum ~/bin.511]$
Interesting, I only ran that script once when you initially had me run it for my first batch of logs. I have zero idea why/how the transcoder was set to verbose.
This is with server debugging on as well as debugging for the transcoder.
It’s still there.
Jun 14, 2021 14:34:52.405 [0x7fe928096b38] DEBUG - Completed: [127.0.0.1:55694] 204 PUT /video/:/transcode/session/43f39e56-a432-4747-b52c-27798fbdc392/f7b2af89-ba73-4113-b84e-14ccebf36658/progress?status=startup (45 live) 2ms 203 bytes (pipelined: 1) (range: bytes=0-)
Jun 14, 2021 14:34:52.406 [0x7fe92237fb38] INFO - [Transcoder] ffmpeg version fa235d6-3858 Copyright (c) 2000-2019 the FFmpeg developers
Jun 14, 2021 14:34:52.406 [0x7fe92468bb38] INFO - [Transcoder] built with Plex clang version 11.0.1 (https://plex.tv e0c29d5827bc4eaaa2ceb882cbeed224b0960173)
Jun 14, 2021 14:34:52.408 [0x7fe9192b9b38] INFO - [Transcoder] configuration: --disable-static --enable-shared --disable-libx264 --disable-hwaccels --disable-protocol=concat --external-decoder=h264 --enable-debug --enable-muxers --fatal-warnings --disable-gmp --disable-avdevice --disable-bzlib --disable-sdl2 --disable-decoders --disable-devices --disable-encoders --disable-ffprobe --disable-ffplay --disable-doc --disable-iconv --disable-lzma --disable-schannel --disable-linux-perf --disable-mediacodec --enable-eae --disable-protocol='udp,udplite' --arch=x86_64 --target-os=linux --strip=true --cc=x86_64-linux-musl-clang --pkg-config=/data/jenkins/conan_build/871697973/plexconantool/plex-pkg-config --pkg-config-flags=--static --enable-cuda-llvm --enable-libdrm --enable-opencl --enable-cross-compile --ar=llvm-ar --nm=llvm-nm --ranlib=llvm-ranlib --extra-ldflags='-Wl,-rpath,/data/jenkins/conan_build/871697973/conan/.conan/data/libpciaccess/0.16-5/plex/stable/package/7763a87432c78a82fd36373080b064286892cea3/lib -Wl,-rpath,/data/jenkins/conan_build/871697973/conan/.conan/d
Jun 14, 2021 14:34:52.409 [0x7fe921d7ab38] DEBUG - Play progress on 57109 'The One with the Red Sweater' - got played 965000 ms by account 24805200!
Jun 14, 2021 14:34:52.409 [0x7fe91a970b38] INFO - [Transcoder] libavutil 56. 26.100 / 56. 26.100
Jun 14, 2021 14:34:52.410 [0x7fe922899b38] INFO - [Transcoder] libavcodec 58. 52.100 / 58. 52.100
Jun 14, 2021 14:34:52.410 [0x7fe91a091b38] INFO - [Transcoder] libavformat 58. 27.104 / 58. 27.104
Jun 14, 2021 14:34:52.411 [0x7fe92237fb38] INFO - [Transcoder] libavfilter 7. 49.100 / 7. 49.100
Jun 14, 2021 14:34:52.412 [0x7fe92468bb38] INFO - [Transcoder] libswscale 5. 4.100 / 5. 4.100
Jun 14, 2021 14:34:52.412 [0x7fe9192b9b38] INFO - [Transcoder] libswresample 3. 4.100 / 3. 4.100
Jun 14, 2021 14:34:52.415 [0x7fe91a091b38] DEBUG - [Transcoder] Reading option '-eae_prefix:1' ...Rescanning for external libs: '/var/lib/plexmediaserver/Library/Application\ Support/Plex\ Media\ Server/Codecs/fa235d6-3858-linux-x86_64/'
Jun 14, 2021 14:34:52.416 [0x7fe92237fb38] DEBUG - [Transcoder] Loading external lib /var/lib/plexmediaserver/Library/Application Support/Plex Media Server/Codecs/fa235d6-3858-linux-x86_64/libsvq3_decoder.so
Jun 14, 2021 14:34:52.417 [0x7fe92468bb38] DEBUG - [Transc
try setting to info level.
then start a transcode, stop, pull the logs, look at the Plex Media Server.log (at the bottom) for FFMPEG.
You should not see the build information
Ok I’ll try setting it to info. Standby
I think that did the trick yes.
Should I try updating to see if that fixes things? I know an update came out today, but I don’t really want to update until my server is functioning normally, unless the update may fix something.
