TV Show Library not populating

Plex Media Server NAS & Devices
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Server Version#: 1.32.8.7639
Player Version#: n/a
<If providing server logs please do NOT turn on verbose logging, only debug logging should be enabled>

I recently upgraded from DSM 6 to 7 and had to rebuild my Plex library from scratch. Not sure if I missed a step there that would have avoided that, but regardless it wasn’t too onerous to rebuild. Anyway…

I have 2 TV Shows folders:

/volume1/video/TV Shows
/volume1/video/Kids TV Shows

I am adding them as separate TV Show libraries in Plex. Plex definitely has access to the main share folder /volume1/video

The first TV Show folder imported no problem and I can see all my TV Shows from that folder in Plex. However, the Kids TV Show folder simply will not populate. When I add the folder to the library, I do not see Plax scanning the folder and looking up the TV Shows. If I go to the library it just says it is updating and never completes. There are only about 20 or so shows in the Kids TV Show folder. I tried a manual scan, and on the library scan it just sits there spinning indefinitely.

What did I miss?

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Note that the default video folder created by Synology is for their Video Station application. They have been known to reset file permissions during DSM updates. Something to be aware of if Plex suddenly cannot see the files. See Installation & Setup of Plex Media Server on Synology .

Check the file permissions. In DSM 7, Plex runs under the PlexMediaServer username, which needs at least read-only access to the files.

  1. Login to DSM. User must have admin rights.
  2. Control Panel → Shared Folder
  3. Select the video folder & then Edit
  4. Permissions Tab. Change Local User to System Internal User.
  5. For user PlexMediaServer, select Custom
  6. Type = Allow, Apply To = All
  7. Check all Read boxes. Check all Write boxes if needed. Done
  8. IMPORTANT: You should be back at the Permissions window. Check the box in lower left corner to “Apply to this folder, sub-folder, & files.”
  9. Save & Save.

Plex should now have access to all the files. Scan the libraries to see if Plex picks up any new shows/episodes.

If Plex still does not find the files, then verify naming & organization is following Plex requirements.

See Plex Docs → Your Media → Naming & Organizing Your TV Show Files.

You may need to Plex Dance a show after any renaming/reorganizing.

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Thanks but I checked this. The shared folder is /volume1/video, and PlexMediaServer user has read/write access to it. As I explained, I have added a library under /volume1/video/Tv Shows without any issue (and other libraries under the volume1/video folder. I just can’t get this Kids TV Shows one to scan / import successfully.

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And the folders are named as per Plex naming standard eg
/volume1/video/Kids TV Shows/Ben 10/Season 1

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Did you grant permission for PlexMediaServer to This folder, sub-folders, and files for all of the files?

Applying to just the top of the shared folder often isn’t sufficient.

This is why we avoid using the predefined shared folder.

1 Like
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Yep that was it. Had to go into custom permissions to get the option to apply it to all files / sub folders. Once done, Plex could scan it.

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The other way to apply it –

File station -
– Right click on the shared folder in the left pane
– Properties
– Permissions tab
– Select and Apply (to this folder … etc)
– SAVE

1 Like
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Ah ok, I was following the original permission update instructions and using the Shared option in Control Panel. Strange how Plex could access 5 or 6 other directories under the Video share, just not this one. Anyway, problem solved, thank you.

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PS I just saw your DSM 6 to 7 upgrade instructions too. That explains why I had to rebuild the server!

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One question while you are here. Can you / should you remove the old plex user from DSM once everything is migrated to DSM 7?

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On DSM 7 systems, Plex Media Server does not use the plex username or the /plex shared folder. You can remove them if you wish. It makes no difference to Plex Media Server if they are present or not.

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