Unable to Access Server on Asustor after Password reset

Plex Media Server
1

Server Version#:
Player Version#:
<If providing server logs please do NOT turn on verbose logging, only debug logging should be enabled>

Where do I begin!!!

Ts is just a nightmare, a simple password reset should not be causing so many issues.

I cannot access Plex on my Asustor Server, using either phone, tablet, windows or the server. There is no option to reclaim server. I have tried all the suggestions previous forum posters have suggested, all to no avail. I can see my account, I have tried resetting password again in the hope that it might offer the chance of claiming the server, but no, nothing.

Can anyone from Plex actually come up with a solution that helps users, because I haven’t seen anything from Plex, plenty of users happy with coding offering solutions, but I’m just not happy with coding, all i want is the ability to reclaim my server and watch a movie.

If anyone has a straightforward solution, please post it for simple users like me.

Alternatively, perhaps Plex might offer simple solutions, I paid for the full monty some 10 years ago, and I have been loyal, but the first issue (caused by Plex) and not one word.

I should add, I cannot access via my Nvidia Shield either.. I’m feeling generous, and perhaps Plex are wiorking on a solution, but if you are, perhaps you might say something to all users encountering access issues, as there does seem to be so many.

2

I am with this guy. Same issues, safe frustrations. Doing the right thing .. changing password .. has led to complete inaccessiblily. Someone at Plex, please address this.

I am running a plex server on a Mac and on a Synology, both inaccessable, both unclaimable.

3

The worse in this bad situation, you can’t start again from zero under the same Plex account, because immediately gives the not authióorized message after login…

And I you have/had Plex Pass Lifetime I don’t know who wants to lose that.

PP subscription is different, that can be cancelled, activated to different account.

I’m in the same ship with you. Everywhere Windows/Linux,QNAP, Synology solutions, but nowhere for Asustor. A working one. A step-by-step one. Nothing from Plex Inc.

If someone has subscription, or paid a one time amount, that maybe could expect helping hand from the app owner, not? Not pointing to community and useless guides.

Yeah, they notified to a possible data breach and suggested the password change, but this same ■■■■ could happen any time the poor user changes the account password.

4

Same thing on my QNap NAS, first my managed users were locked out, then I had to update to the newest server version which fixed that, than I did the password reset as suggested, now I’m locked out.

Following recommended the steps here doesn’t work either Why am I locked out of Server Settings and how do I get in? | Plex Support

I also have the lifetime pass, this is very unprofessional from Plex.

5

@mmsq

For you, the solution is to run my claiming tool on the QNAP SSH command line, as root.

@NclSimon @thommills

On your ASUSTOR machines, I would like to inquire about the current state.

  1. Open File Explorer
  2. Navigate to Plex / Library / Plex Media Server
  3. Please look at Preferences.xml
  4. Does it show PlexOnlineToken="" ?

(Like this)

MetricsEpoch="1" PlexOnlineToken="" PlexOnlineUsername="pl
6

I have exactly the same issue on a Synology NAS. After signing out of all devices following the reported security breach, I appear to be unable to access my libraries on Plex Media Server running on my Synology NAS.

7

@leehendricksuk_gmail_com

There is a Synology thread already This is ASUSTOR

However

8

Hello ChuckPa

Apologies for the delay responding, I’ve been trying to SSH into server as per some other posts, but that didn’t work.

I can conform the Preferences.xml does have a PlexOnlineToken=

It is as follows PlexOnlineToken=“” PlexOnlineUsername=“MyUsername”

Does that help? I should add that the next entry has the correct email address.

It might also help that I get the following message when I try to log in

This XML file does not appear to have any style information associated with it. The document tree is shown below.

Does this mean it is now actually trying to log me in?

9

Thanks @ChuckPa , I found this reddit post (Reclaim Server on Nvidia Shield after password screw-up : r/PleX) and following those steps fixed the issues for me, looking at your script it seems to me it does the same thing, though your script seems to be more sophisticated targeting different platforms and avoiding the need for people to manually edit the preferences file!

10

That worked. Thank you.

11

@NclSimon

What you have is a partially claimed server (you’re locked out with no way in)

There is a (semi) easy way to solve this.

  1. SSH into the ASUSTOR (‘admin’ or your username)
  2. elevate your privileges sudo sh
    – enter your / admin password again
  3. See # prompt (looks like this)
admin@AS6704T-6BBB:/volume1/home/admin $ sudo sh
root@AS6704T-6BBB:/volume1/home/admin #
  1. Now download my claiming tool (which understands ASUSTOR)
wget "https://raw.githubusercontent.com/ChuckPa/UserCredentialReset/master/UserCredentialReset.sh"
  1. Give it execute permission
chmod +x  User*.sh
  1. Run it
sudo sh ./UserCredentialReset.sh

Looks like this: (My server is still running)

admin@AS6704T-6BBB:/volume1/home/admin $ sudo sh ./UserCredentialReset.sh 
 
          Plex Media Server user credential reset and reclaim tool (ASUSTOR)
 
This utility will reset the server's credentials.
It will next reclaim the server for you using a Plex Claim token you provide from https://plex.tv/claim
 
ERROR:  PMS is running.  Please stop PMS and try again
admin@AS6704T-6BBB:/volume1/home/admin $
12

Hi Guys,

Not sure if I understand well this topic, my english is not good enough, but i had issues connecting to my server after password change. What i did is remove the device(s) from the server authorizes devices, and that made the trick : the concerned devices asked me to log in.

Hope we’re talking about the same issue, if not, sorry for my mistake.

DonRafa

13

Hello ChuckPa

Apologies for the delay responding, I’ve been trying to SSH into server as per some other posts, but that didn’t work.

I can conform the Preferences.xml does have a PlexOnlineToken=

It is as follows PlexOnlineToken=“” PlexOnlineUsername=“MyUsername”

Does that help? I should add that the next entry has the correct email address.

It might also help that I get the following message when I try to log in

This XML file does not appear to have any style information associated with it. The document tree is shown below.

Does this mean it is now actually trying to log me in?

14

SSH should be enabled

  1. Log into the GUI
  2. Services button
  3. Terminal
  4. Enable SSH
    Screenshot from 2025-09-11 14-28-09
    Screenshot from 2025-09-11 14-28-091049×642 49 KB

My default user to log in as is admin.
I use admin and the admin password to log in with SSH (putty)

Plex having no XML tells us nothing. That’s how it’s supposed to work.
The needed info is what comes after that “page” of xml.

are you familiar with the VI text editor ?

What we need to do with it is pretty easy (delete stuff)

As alternative, If you don’t mind the server getting a new “Instance ID”
(you’d have to share and re-pin your libraries), we can delete the broken Preferences.xml and let it create new

15

Thanks ChuckPa

Thanks for the comprehensive solution, my only question is I have downloaded the tool, but I’m a bit slow, but how do I execute/run it? Do I need to place the file in the server, what do you mean by execute permission? I have a Public Shared folder, but not containing the subfolder you indicate. Do I need to create a new sub-folder?

I’m sorry but I’m incredibly frustrated by this whole process having spent all day on it with no progress whatsover.. I’m almost on the verge of just giving up and chalking this down to an appalling experience, through no fault of my own. I was a champion of Plex and have been for years, but I’m on the verge of just going to one of your competitors. I’m not a programmer or coder and a simple user shouldn’t have to undergo complex (and it is complex for non-coders) coding to get a program to work. I paid for a Plex Pass 10 years ago to have a smooth media player with all the bells and whistles, I didn’t expect to have to learn coding and how to SSH and execute programs to get it to work.

I fully understand if you are unable to assist given my rant, but I am mentally and physically exhausted by all this.

16

@NclSimon

You SSH into the ASUSTOR

You download the tool there so it lands on the machine.

you then run it there so it has direct access to Preferences.xml
and can talk to plex.tv without impediment