# TV Shows NOT pulling Metadata Show Agents

**URL:** <https://forums.plex.tv/t/tv-shows-not-pulling-metadata-show-agents/199403>\
**Category:** General Discussions\
**Created:** [July 18, 2017, 2:51am UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/tv-shows-not-pulling-metadata-show-agents/199403 "2017-07-18T02:51:40Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 20\
**Page:** 1

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![johnny\_blaze2k](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/plex/user_avatar/forums.plex.tv/johnny_blaze2k/32/108970_2.png) [@johnny\_blaze2k](https://forums.plex.tv/u/johnny_blaze2k)\
**Post date:** [July 18, 2017, 2:51am UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/tv-shows-not-pulling-metadata-show-agents/199403/1 "2017-07-18T02:51:40Z")

</div>

I’ve been having problems with TVDB and the TheMovieDB pulling the metadata in full for about a year now.

Please see my other post from last time I attempted to get this fixed. 54 comments with no real resolution. ----\>[https://forums.plex.tv/discussion/248933/plex-is-not-fully-scraping-my-tv-seasons#latest](https://forums.plex.tv/discussion/248933/plex-is-not-fully-scraping-my-tv-seasons#latest)

Here is my latest example.

Modern Family after a [Plex Dance](https://forums.plex.tv/t/the-plex-dance/197064). It noticed that it was Modern Family but failed to really pull any info.

The episodes will not pull at all on Season 4. Seasons 1-3 are missing episode titles here and there with a Date in place of some titles.  
Normally.  
Currently nothing is pulling for the titles.

 ![](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/plex/uploads/default/original/3X/8/7/87cd5cb9a244d77b57d45cad91164fc6967635d2.png)

Before that I decided to “unmatch” the series. But then it wouldn’t pull anything at all. In the past “Refresh Metadata” would end up pulling most of the data. Not quite in full but enough. Now, it doesn’t work at all. Especially when I do the Optimize, Empty Trash, Clean Bundles game, or the [Plex dance](https://forums.plex.tv/t/the-plex-dance/197064). Not working.

Here is the XML from Season 4 episode 1 as an example of what I’m working with.  
`<MediaContainer size="1" allowSync="1" identifier="com.plexapp.plugins.library" librarySectionID="2" librarySectionTitle="TV Shows" librarySectionUUID="a3b71412-1e1d-4491-a072-f42b9562d019" mediaTagPrefix="/system/bundle/media/flags/" mediaTagVersion="1498646902"> <Video ratingKey="347427" key="/library/metadata/347427" parentRatingKey="347426" grandparentRatingKey="347425" guid="local://347427" librarySectionID="2" librarySectionKey="/library/sections/2" type="episode" title="Episode 1" grandparentKey="/library/metadata/347425" parentKey="/library/metadata/347426" grandparentTitle="Modern Family" parentTitle="Season 4" summary="" index="1" parentIndex="4" thumb="/library/metadata/347427/thumb/1500345052" grandparentThumb="/library/metadata/347425/thumb/1500345065" duration="1299832" addedAt="1500345002" updatedAt="1500345052"> <Media videoResolution="sd" id="668749" duration="1299832" bitrate="1146" width="720" height="404" aspectRatio="1.78" audioChannels="2" audioCodec="aac" videoCodec="h264" container="mp4" videoFrameRate="NTSC" optimizedForStreaming="0" audioProfile="lc" has64bitOffsets="0" videoProfile="main"> <Part accessible="1" exists="1" id="670409" key="/library/parts/670409/1500244439/file.mp4" duration="1299832" file="G:\TV Series\M\Modern Family\Season 04\Modern Family - S04E01 - Bringing up Baby.mp4" size="186197573" audioProfile="lc" container="mp4" has64bitOffsets="0" optimizedForStreaming="0" videoProfile="main"> <Stream id="1246157" streamType="1" default="1" codec="h264" index="0" bitrate="1045" bitDepth="8" chromaSubsampling="4:2:0" colorRange="tv" colorSpace="smpte170m" frameRate="29.970" hasScalingMatrix="0" height="404" level="30" profile="main" refFrames="2" streamIdentifier="1" width="720"/> <Stream id="1246158" streamType="2" selected="1" default="1" codec="aac" index="1" channels="2" bitrate="101" audioChannelLayout="stereo" profile="lc" samplingRate="48000" streamIdentifier="2"/> </Part> </Media> <Extras size="0"></Extras> </Video> </MediaContainer>`

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![OttoKerner](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/plex/user_avatar/forums.plex.tv/ottokerner/32/10079_2.png) [@OttoKerner](https://forums.plex.tv/u/OttoKerner)\
**Post date:** [July 18, 2017, 9:33am UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/tv-shows-not-pulling-metadata-show-agents/199403/2 "2017-07-18T09:33:27Z")

</div>

> @johnny_blaze2k said:  
> Here is the XML from Season 4 episode 1 as an example of what I’m working with.  
> `guid="local://347427" `

This means the show is currently unmatched.  
In this state, Plex doesn’t know _which_ meta data to download.  
You need to achieve a match first.

> `file="G:\TV Series\M\Modern Family\Season 04\Modern Family - S04E01 - Bringing up Baby.mp4"`

The file name and the folder structure are OK - BUT:  
If you are using ‘index letter folders’, your tv show library must be pointed to each ‘letter folder’ individually.  
If you only point it to `G:\TV Series` it won’t work.

Instead, you’ll have to do the whole alphabet and have references to

```auto
G:\TV Series\A
...
G:\TV Series\M
...
G:\TV Series\Z

```

Since you have mp4 files, we also need to rule out interference by embedded meta data with the matching process. Like so:

Go to Settings - Server - Agents - Shows - TheTVDB  
In there, grab the line ‘Local Media Assets’ with your mouse and drag it downwards, so it ends up being at the bottom of the stack of active agents.  
Repeat the same under  
Settings - Server - Agents - Shows - TheMovieDatabase  
+  
Settings - Server - Agents - Movies - Plex Movie  
+  
Settings - Server - Agents - Movies - TheMovieDatabase

Afterwards, perform the [Plex Dance](https://forums.plex.tv/discussion/comment/908454/#Comment_908454 "Plex Dance") with the whole show.

If that doesn’t work, please provide your [server log](https://support.plex.tv/articles/200250417-plex-media-server-log-files/) files.  
Please **dis** able ‘verbose’ logging, if you have it activated.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![johnny\_blaze2k](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/plex/user_avatar/forums.plex.tv/johnny_blaze2k/32/108970_2.png) [@johnny\_blaze2k](https://forums.plex.tv/u/johnny_blaze2k)\
**Post date:** [July 18, 2017, 12:36pm UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/tv-shows-not-pulling-metadata-show-agents/199403/3 "2017-07-18T12:36:54Z")

</div>

I will get to your second half of the post after I get back from work but in the meantime I wanted to show that I already had each folder directed to a letter.

 ![](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/plex/uploads/default/original/3X/1/f/1f44fd31f23b786c9e04c7a954cfe1d0b0402e6c.png)

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![OttoKerner](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/plex/user_avatar/forums.plex.tv/ottokerner/32/10079_2.png) [@OttoKerner](https://forums.plex.tv/u/OttoKerner)\
**Post date:** [July 18, 2017, 1:41pm UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/tv-shows-not-pulling-metadata-show-agents/199403/4 "2017-07-18T13:41:59Z")

</div>

> @johnny_blaze2k said:  
> I will get to your second half of the post after I get back from work but in the meantime I wanted to show that I already had each folder directed to a letter.

Very good, that’s exactly how it’s supposed to be.  
We need the log files to diagnose this further.

1. [activate debug](https://support.plex.tv/hc/en-us/articles/201643703 "activate debug") logging ( **not** ‘verbose’!)
2. quit Plex Server
3. wait 1 minute
4. start Plex Server
5. wait 2 minutes
6. either [refresh](https://support.plex.tv/hc/en-us/articles/200289306 "refresh") **one** tv show
7. wait 3 minutes
8. [fetch log files](https://support.plex.tv/hc/en-us/articles/200250417 "fetch log files") and [attach them here](https://support.plex.tv/hc/en-us/articles/202756326-How-do-I-attach-files-in-the-forums- "attach them here")

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![johnny\_blaze2k](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/plex/user_avatar/forums.plex.tv/johnny_blaze2k/32/108970_2.png) [@johnny\_blaze2k](https://forums.plex.tv/u/johnny_blaze2k)\
**Post date:** [July 18, 2017, 5:23pm UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/tv-shows-not-pulling-metadata-show-agents/199403/5 "2017-07-18T17:23:51Z")

</div>

The second half from above. (my lunch break) 😄

I don’t even have “Local Media” selected.  
 ![](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/plex/uploads/default/original/3X/1/c/1cec9ee7b28e6c6599e5b8946667aee14f8071c3.png)  
 ![](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/plex/uploads/default/original/3X/4/c/4c277f017356a7e26546329316a98da225d812f4.png)  
 ![](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/plex/uploads/default/original/3X/7/2/72e66daddcae8fa880cd7926c260a74f91c3a049.png)  
 ![](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/plex/uploads/default/original/3X/7/7/778153c40c35389f00a72156afed5dad24d51752.png)

No changes were made, and I’ve done multiple [Plex Dance](https://forums.plex.tv/t/the-plex-dance/197064)s to resolve with no luck.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![johnny\_blaze2k](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/plex/user_avatar/forums.plex.tv/johnny_blaze2k/32/108970_2.png) [@johnny\_blaze2k](https://forums.plex.tv/u/johnny_blaze2k)\
**Post date:** [July 18, 2017, 5:38pm UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/tv-shows-not-pulling-metadata-show-agents/199403/6 "2017-07-18T17:38:03Z")

</div>

Debugging was already selected. But I continued on with your steps.

Here is my Log Files.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![OttoKerner](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/plex/user_avatar/forums.plex.tv/ottokerner/32/10079_2.png) [@OttoKerner](https://forums.plex.tv/u/OttoKerner)\
**Post date:** [July 18, 2017, 7:53pm UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/tv-shows-not-pulling-metadata-show-agents/199403/7 "2017-07-18T19:53:41Z")

</div>

Something is damaged in your [Plex data folder](https://support.plex.tv/hc/en-us/articles/202915258-Where-is-the-Plex-Media-Server-data-directory-located- "Plex data folder").  
`IOError: [Errno 13] Permission denied: u'\\\\?\\C:\\Users\\Dixon Family\\AppData\\Local\\Plex Media Server\\Plug-in Support\\Caches\\com.plexapp.agents.thetvdb\\HTTP.system\\CacheInfo'`

This happens for instance

- if Plex was started ‘As Administrator’ some time in the past (you should never do that!)
- if Anti Virus software interferes

Let’s clear this error first.  
There may be others, but we won’t see them until we get rid of this beforehand.

Shut down Plex Server. (with the tray icon)  
then go to this folder  
`C:\Users\Dixon Family\AppData\Local\Plex Media Server\Plug-in Support\Caches\`  
and clear it out.

Make sure there is plenty of free space left on drive `C:`

Tell your anti virus software to stay out of `C:\Users\Dixon Family\AppData\Local\Plex Media Server`

Reset any wrong file access permissions in your Plex data folder to their defaults  
using e.g. this software [http://lallouslab.net/2013/08/26/resetting-ntfs-files-permission-in-windows-graphical-utility/](http://lallouslab.net/2013/08/26/resetting-ntfs-files-permission-in-windows-graphical-utility/)

then repeat the procedure and post a fresh set of log files if it is still unsuccessful.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![johnny\_blaze2k](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/plex/user_avatar/forums.plex.tv/johnny_blaze2k/32/108970_2.png) [@johnny\_blaze2k](https://forums.plex.tv/u/johnny_blaze2k)\
**Post date:** [July 18, 2017, 11:08pm UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/tv-shows-not-pulling-metadata-show-agents/199403/8 "2017-07-18T23:08:24Z")

</div>

> @OttoKerner said:

> then go to this folder  
> `C:\Users\Dixon Family\AppData\Local\Plex Media Server\Plug-in Support\Caches\`  
> and clear it out.

What do you mean specifically by “Clear it out”? Delete all of the folders? or go into each of the folders and delete the contents? or just the theTVDB folder.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![johnny\_blaze2k](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/plex/user_avatar/forums.plex.tv/johnny_blaze2k/32/108970_2.png) [@johnny\_blaze2k](https://forums.plex.tv/u/johnny_blaze2k)\
**Post date:** [July 18, 2017, 11:14pm UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/tv-shows-not-pulling-metadata-show-agents/199403/9 "2017-07-18T23:14:05Z")

</div>

Also, is there a way to find out whether my files have the wrong permissions before using this software? I’m a little iffy mainly because I don’t know how it works.

I checked out the “properties” of each of the folders in the Plex Data folder and each has “full control”. Is this correct?

 ![](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/plex/uploads/default/original/3X/f/3/f30bfcc987e18e9a0114b4502d3c5eb758132b8c.png)

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![OttoKerner](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/plex/user_avatar/forums.plex.tv/ottokerner/32/10079_2.png) [@OttoKerner](https://forums.plex.tv/u/OttoKerner)\
**Post date:** [July 18, 2017, 11:27pm UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/tv-shows-not-pulling-metadata-show-agents/199403/10 "2017-07-18T23:27:27Z")

</div>

> @johnny_blaze2k said:  
> What do you mean specifically by “Clear it out”? Delete all of the folders? or go into each of the folders and delete the contents?

Delete all subfolders and their contents.

> Also, is there a way to find out whether my files have the wrong permissions before using this software? I’m a little iffy mainly because I don’t know how it works.

No, because there are literally hundresds of thousands of files and folders in there. And usually there are only a few affected.  
If you are unsure, just leave out this step for now and try only with cleaning the cache folder.

See what happens.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![johnny\_blaze2k](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/plex/user_avatar/forums.plex.tv/johnny_blaze2k/32/108970_2.png) [@johnny\_blaze2k](https://forums.plex.tv/u/johnny_blaze2k)\
**Post date:** [July 18, 2017, 11:53pm UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/tv-shows-not-pulling-metadata-show-agents/199403/11 "2017-07-18T23:53:05Z")

</div>

I think we are very close here! That brought back a lot of the metadata scraping. However I’m still seeing some “title” issues where it names the episode a date. (I believe the dates are original air dates, which would have to come from [thetvdb.com](http://thetvdb.com) because they are not embedded within the file)

I’ve attached my logs.

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![johnny\_blaze2k](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/plex/user_avatar/forums.plex.tv/johnny_blaze2k/32/108970_2.png) [@johnny\_blaze2k](https://forums.plex.tv/u/johnny_blaze2k)\
**Post date:** [July 19, 2017, 4:05am UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/tv-shows-not-pulling-metadata-show-agents/199403/12 "2017-07-19T04:05:08Z")

</div>

Just to make sure I was dotting all my i’s and crossing my T’s I downoloaded the NTFS files permission program and ran it on the Plex Data folder. I was easy, I just found the folder and clicked “GO”.

That cleaned up my Modern Family seasons. So, I went back to some old favorites that have never been able to clean up in hopes of truly calling this a fix. ie. Full House. It wouldn’t pull the poster data (except for just one) for the main series and Season 7 which used that main one as default. Same with “Back to the Future” cartoon series. It won’t pull poster data.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![OttoKerner](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/plex/user_avatar/forums.plex.tv/ottokerner/32/10079_2.png) [@OttoKerner](https://forums.plex.tv/u/OttoKerner)\
**Post date:** [July 19, 2017, 10:37am UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/tv-shows-not-pulling-metadata-show-agents/199403/13 "2017-07-19T10:37:21Z")

</div>

> @johnny_blaze2k said:  
> Just to make sure I was dotting all my i’s and crossing my T’s I downoloaded the NTFS files permission program and ran it on the [Plex Data folder](https://support.plex.tv/articles/202915258-where-is-the-plex-media-server-data-directory-located/). I was easy, I just found the folder and clicked “GO”.

Did you do that after you cleaned out the cache folder?  
Because the same error shows again:  
`IOError: [Errno 13] Permission denied: u'\\\\?\\C:\\Users\\Dixon Family\\AppData\\Local\\Plex Media Server\\Plug-in Support\\Caches\\com.plexapp.agents.thetvdb\\HTTP.system\\CacheInfo'`

Did you create the exemption in your anti virus?

Let Windows check the hard disk for errors and repair them.

> **[How to Scan & Fix Hard Drives with CHKDSK in](https://www.alphr.com/fix-hard-drives-chkdsk-windows-10/)**
>
> Millions of Windows 10 users still have mechanical hard drives in their PCs. To keep them healthy and to help investigate any unusual behavior, try the venerable CHKDSK command. Here's how to use it in Microsoft's latest operating system.

I hope you kept the agent ordering from my first post?

Then try again.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![johnny\_blaze2k](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/plex/user_avatar/forums.plex.tv/johnny_blaze2k/32/108970_2.png) [@johnny\_blaze2k](https://forums.plex.tv/u/johnny_blaze2k)\
**Post date:** [July 19, 2017, 5:56pm UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/tv-shows-not-pulling-metadata-show-agents/199403/14 "2017-07-19T17:56:53Z")

</div>

I did everything again just as you said. I’m still having problems with some not pulling Poster data.  
snapshot shows that there is only one available poster to use for the series. Thats not true.  
  
and then season 7 doesn’t pull any posters.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![OttoKerner](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/plex/user_avatar/forums.plex.tv/ottokerner/32/10079_2.png) [@OttoKerner](https://forums.plex.tv/u/OttoKerner)\
**Post date:** [July 19, 2017, 6:03pm UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/tv-shows-not-pulling-metadata-show-agents/199403/15 "2017-07-19T18:03:09Z")

</div>

still the same  
`IOError: [Errno 13] Permission denied: u'\\\\?\\C:\\Users\\Dixon Family\\AppData\\Local\\Plex Media Server\\Plug-in Support\\Caches\\com.plexapp.agents.thetvdb\\HTTP.system\\CacheInfo'`

Did you make Windows perform the hard disk check?

The anti virus exemption?

What kind of disk is that?

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![johnny\_blaze2k](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/plex/user_avatar/forums.plex.tv/johnny_blaze2k/32/108970_2.png) [@johnny\_blaze2k](https://forums.plex.tv/u/johnny_blaze2k)\
**Post date:** [July 19, 2017, 6:11pm UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/tv-shows-not-pulling-metadata-show-agents/199403/16 "2017-07-19T18:11:34Z")

</div>

Yes on all 2 accounts. I checked the drive. Now, I haven’t pulled it out to look at it in some time but I believe its a Seagate internal drive that I have mounted in a fixture (Mediasonic Probox) with 2 other drives that hold my movies.

I opened the virus scanner again and when I went into the exceptions part it was missing. (I know I did it before). But I added it again. I’ll try the refresh again.

 ![](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/plex/uploads/default/original/3X/b/3/b39ca62408f3e235bb25962608ad54c6048cf89f.png)

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![OttoKerner](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/plex/user_avatar/forums.plex.tv/ottokerner/32/10079_2.png) [@OttoKerner](https://forums.plex.tv/u/OttoKerner)\
**Post date:** [July 19, 2017, 6:13pm UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/tv-shows-not-pulling-metadata-show-agents/199403/17 "2017-07-19T18:13:30Z")

</div>

> @johnny_blaze2k said:  
> I opened the virus scanner again and when I went into the exceptions part it was missing. (I know I did it before). But I added it again.

You must also click on ‘Apply’ 😉  
Just making sure… 😃

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![OttoKerner](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/plex/user_avatar/forums.plex.tv/ottokerner/32/10079_2.png) [@OttoKerner](https://forums.plex.tv/u/OttoKerner)\
**Post date:** [July 19, 2017, 7:18pm UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/tv-shows-not-pulling-metadata-show-agents/199403/18 "2017-07-19T19:18:36Z")

</div>

So after consultation with @sa2000 we now think this might be a more complex issue.  
If you are willing to support us with the error diagnosis, you’d need to run a system monitor software which basically protocols what your system is doing during metadata download.

The principle is laid out in this forum post:

> **[SQLITE3 Errors - "There was an unexpected error loading the dashboard"](http://forums.plex.tv/discussion/comment/1480490/#Comment_1480490)**
>
> @EricnM said: While yes the creation of the temp folders per terminal services session are created, even when I don’t logout of the session that running PMS, somehow that “2” folders get cleaned up during some Plex transaction causing the dashboard...

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![johnny\_blaze2k](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/plex/user_avatar/forums.plex.tv/johnny_blaze2k/32/108970_2.png) [@johnny\_blaze2k](https://forums.plex.tv/u/johnny_blaze2k)\
**Post date:** [July 19, 2017, 10:25pm UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/tv-shows-not-pulling-metadata-show-agents/199403/19 "2017-07-19T22:25:53Z")

</div>

Ok. Let me run through the directions and I will do that. Here is the log from the last refresh. I’m sure it still has the error because nothing was fixed.

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![johnny\_blaze2k](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/plex/user_avatar/forums.plex.tv/johnny_blaze2k/32/108970_2.png) [@johnny\_blaze2k](https://forums.plex.tv/u/johnny_blaze2k)\
**Post date:** [July 19, 2017, 10:46pm UTC](https://forums.plex.tv/t/tv-shows-not-pulling-metadata-show-agents/199403/20 "2017-07-19T22:46:36Z")

</div>

Done.  
Here is the Monitor:  
and the logs.

Edited by sa2000 to remove the proc mon capture which has been downloaded now.

[Next page](https://forums.plex.tv/t/tv-shows-not-pulling-metadata-show-agents/199403.md?page=2)