When things just DON'T work

Plex Media Server Desktops & Laptops
1

You know, a service/product should just WORK… well, wishfull thinking…

I had Plex Media Server (plex pass user here) up and running for last two or even more years, pretty much successfully. In the last month or so, however, ■■■■ hit fan. Some of the files all of a sudden just didn’t want to play anymore - some weird codec problem i wish never happened.

Then after reading all the topics here, i finally decided to just uninstall the software and maybe try with a freh and clean install - even followed the support article (uninstall, delete registry keys and local appdata folder).

Since then - OMG!

I can’t claim my server no matter what I do.
I think i have uninstalled and tried to install and setup my server at least 30 times - this is the point of “when things just DON’T work - but they should!”. Even more strange it’s not same situation everytime, or maybe it is but i can’t figure it out.

When i get a Setup screen, I remove check mark beside “Allow Plex to try to configure my network” - because that doesn’t work (never did), and I have an open port on my router anyway. 32400 to my Plex server computer. Then, 99% of the time, when i click Next the loading indicator on this same button just spins for eternity. No feedback which is, from customer/user perspective a total nightmare.

Aynways, sometomes I even get pass that step, but then the same thing happens on the next page where I add my sources.

Sometimes, i bypass this alltogether and i go to web app (127.0.0.1… - trying to emphasise that i am doing all this on the same computer plex server is installed on). Sometimes I get CLAIM server notification - well, not surprisingly, sometimes I don’t. When I click it, it spinns idefenetly.

Total nightmare.

I have tried everything

  • logout of plex everywhere, logging in again before installing, after installing and any other combination
  • disabled windows firewall (it has an open port for plex anyways), disabled virus protection
  • installed, uninstalled, changed server name, change even my user password
  • tried different version
  • tried localhost, tried 127.0.0.1
  • tried different browsers
  • tried telnet to 32400 from same computer, inside my network even from outside my network - ALL GOOD

I have no idea anymore. I am technical guy, I know how to use Developer tools in browsers.
Sometimes there are errors shown (connection to my server, 401, 404, 403), sometimes it says it is successfully connected, but still i can’t get my server normally working. I can send logs, i am even prepared to ship my computer to support if i need to - JUST HELP ME.

I am not a newb, but this is just too much.
The last thing I want is to say the product is bad, but when it doesn’t work, well, it just doesn’t.
If there is no response from support (of course there is no ticketing system and service desk ?!?!??) I will start thinking to just remove my Pass account and start looking for alternatives.

Please, share some ideas and help me get simple media server up and running again.

Thanks

2

I did try version 1.15x but had so many connection issues I said “NOPE!”. I do not want to troubleshoot this issue. Went back to 1.13.x.

All is fine now. I wake up, plex is up and running, come back from the bathroom, plex is up and running, run an errand, plex is up and running. It just works. No troubleshooting at all. At this point I’m not sure if I will do another upgrade past 1.13 unless my friends wine about their PS1,2,3,4,5? no longer work with my server version. Even then, I might say tough shat, find another streaming device.

3

Thanks for feedback. Good to know I’m not alone. Feel less stupid.

Where can I get 1.13.x versions?
Will try that

Thx

4

Sorry. I’m not sure the exact URL but what I use is Plex-Media-Server-1.13.8.5395-10d48da0d.exe

5

I am not a Plex expert. But I do know computers well, I am a software engineer. Maybe I can offer some assistance. Clearly, try that version that was suggested. But I am curious about the type of errors you’re getting.

6

I have already tried with latest 1.13 version. No luck.
There is a lot of noise in the Media Server log, but i can pick these out:

Jun 09, 2019 20:12:57.974 [17916] ERROR - MyPlex: Error 408 requesting XML from: https://plex.tv/servers/a06fdec133bc42a478492696bd3a909030acdc42/access_tokens.xml?auth_token=xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx&includeProfiles=1&includeProviders=1
Jun 09, 2019 20:12:57.974 [17916] ERROR - MyPlex: Couldn’t get list of access tokens from myPlex.

Jun 09, 2019 20:13:01.303 [3724] ERROR - Error issuing curl_easy_perform(handle): 28

Jun 09, 2019 20:14:27.187 [18012] ERROR - CERT: Couldn’t download intermediate CA: 408

Stuff like that.
This could be the problem, but i doubt.

7

Are you on Windows Server?

8

Windows 10

9

Okay, not as common. but can happen. You have a certificate issue. There may be others but that you can solve now.

10

What’s your setup like? How are you running a Plex server and client?

BTW, my initial reaction is that you might be running a VPN or you had a windows update that messed it up. I had a windows update mess up my computer. I had this really bad bug and I couldn’t figure out what was wrong for two weeks. This problem affected a lot of people for many years and there was no real solution. I tracked it down to a windows update. I am not sure if this applies to your situation, but it’s something to keep in mind.

I think there was a major windows update last week.

11

I have windows 10, install Plex Server and i connect to the Plex double clicking or via link in “right mouse button” on plex icon. On this machine i have no other means of accessing Plex (like player).
Then, of course, i have phones, tablets, and mibox with Plex client to access Plex Server. On Plex Server machine i rarely watch Plex, if i do , i do it through double clicking.

Anyways, when trying to setup Server, i am using 127.0.0.1.

12

Yeah, there were actually quite few of the updates in the last month.
Last one few days ago which actually bumped the Windows version (as in new features were added etc.). I am not using any VPN client/server. Have no need for that.

I have tried to disable all Windows native protection thingies, no luck.

13

Have you tried a different browser? When you open the web client copy and paste the link into another browser?

I also updated my post. Not sure if you saw where I talked about a windows update.

14

I saw it yes, Thanks for that. Was my intitial idea, too. But in that case i am pretty much f***. I am not willing to trace all the updates, it would take me too much time i guess.

Yea, I have tried FF and Vivaldi. :frowning:

15

You mentioned that you have other clients like for a smart phone, have you tried those?

16

Nope, I thought i need to setup the server from the same computer. I actually also loged out all the devices and revoked access - part of the hunting for a problem :slight_smile:

THe problem is, now i have no accessible servers on my account, so clients will not help me much i think. I can get to other settings, but not server settings.

17

Oooh. After some 30 minutes i got to the Library page in the setup wizard. Maybe i was just to quick when saying i am waiting “indefenetely” … well 30 minutes for me is forever. I now pressed next, maybe i need to wait for 1h now. Will see.

18

That sounds weird. Not sure if you did a virus scan. I would do that. If that doesn’t work. I would just reinstall Windows(not sure if you could do this or how important Plex is to you).

I used a tool to disable all updates. But, you could create a restore point before each update. If the problem shows up, roll back the update. This is what I would do personally.

19

Yeah, Plex i simportant, but also my environment is quite complex :slight_smile: It would take me at least few days to get it up and running again. This will be last resort.

Maybe disabling updates one-by-one and see if it gets any better is the best way to go.
Will try that tomorrow.

First I will let that unfortuante button to spin for whatever time it needs to do stuff.
Maybe i get mysefl through the wizard at some point.

20

In developer console i am getting errors like these:

Failed to load resource: net::ERR_INCOMPLETE_CHUNKED_ENCODING
:32400/myplex/claim?token=claim----------------------&X-Plex-Product=Plex%20Web&X-Plex-Version=3.95.2&X-Plex-Client-Identifier=gr1sqx1zj8wxfazjgh4qglwa&X-Plex-Platform=Chrome&X-Plex-Platform-Version=75.0&X-Plex-Sync-Version=2&X-Plex-Model=bundled&X-Plex-Device=Windows&X-Plex-Device-Name=Chrome&X-Plex-Device-Screen-Resolution=1920x947%2C1920x1080&X-Plex-Token=---------------&X-Plex-Language=en:1 Failed to load resource: the server responded with a status of 500 (Internal Server Error)
:32400/services/defaultLibraries?X-Plex-Product=Plex%20Web&X-Plex-Version=3.95.2&X-Plex-Client-Identifier=gr1sqx1zj8wxfazjgh4qglwa&X-Plex-Platform=Chrome&X-Plex-Platform-Version=75.0&X-Plex-Sync-Version=2&X-Plex-Model=bundled&X-Plex-Device=Windows&X-Plex-Device-Name=Chrome&X-Plex-Device-Screen-Resolution=1920x947%2C1920x1080&X-Plex-Language=en:1 Failed to load resource: the server responded with a status of 401 (Unauthorized)
:32400/library/sections?X-Plex-Product=Plex%20Web&X-Plex-Version=3.95.2&X-Plex-Client-Identifier=gr1sqx1zj8wxfazjgh4qglwa&X-Plex-Platform=Chrome&X-Plex-Platform-Version=75.0&X-Plex-Sync-Version=2&X-Plex-Model=bundled&X-Plex-Device=Windows&X-Plex-Device-Name=Chrome&X-Plex-Device-Screen-Resolution=1920x947%2C1920x1080&X-Plex-Language=en:1 Failed to load resource: the server responded with a status of 401 (Unauthorized)
2:32400/myplex/refreshReachability?X-Plex-Product=Plex%20Web&X-Plex-Version=3.95.2&X-Plex-Client-Identifier=gr1sqx1zj8wxfazjgh4qglwa&X-Plex-Platform=Chrome&X-Plex-Platform-Version=75.0&X-Plex-Sync-Version=2&X-Plex-Model=bundled&X-Plex-Device=Windows&X-Plex-Device-Name=Chrome&X-Plex-Device-Screen-Resolution=1920x947%2C1920x1080&X-Plex-Language=en:1 Failed to load resource: the server responded with a status of 401 (Unauthorized)
:32400/media/providers?X-Plex-Product=Plex%20Web&X-Plex-Version=3.95.2&X-Plex-Client-Identifier=gr1sqx1zj8wxfazjgh4qglwa&X-Plex-Platform=Chrome&X-Plex-Platform-Version=75.0&X-Plex-Sync-Version=2&X-Plex-Model=bundled&X-Plex-Device=Windows&X-Plex-Device-Name=Chrome&X-Plex-Device-Screen-Resolution=1920x947%2C1920x1080&X-Plex-Language=en:1 Failed to load resource: the server responded with a status of 401 (Unauthorized)
:32400/myplex/refreshReachability?X-Plex-Product=Plex%20Web&X-Plex-Version=3.95.2&X-Plex-Client-Identifier=gr1sqx1zj8wxfazjgh4qglwa&X-Plex-Platform=Chrome&X-Plex-Platform-Version=75.0&X-Plex-Sync-Version=2&X-Plex-Model=bundled&X-Plex-Device=Windows&X-Plex-Device-Name=Chrome&X-Plex-Device-Screen-Resolution=1920x947%2C1920x1080&X-Plex-Token=---------------------&X-Plex-Language=en:1 Failed to load resource: the server responded with a status of 401 (Unauthorized)
:32400/player/proxy/poll?deviceClass=pc&protocolVersion=3&protocolCapabilities=timeline%2Cplayback%2Cnavigation%2Cmirror%2Cplayqueues&timeout=1&X-Plex-Product=Plex%20Web&X-Plex-Version=3.95.2&X-Plex-Client-Identifier=gr1sqx1zj8wxfazjgh4qglwa&X-Plex-Platform=Chrome&X-Plex-Platform-Version=75.0&X-Plex-Sync-Version=2&X-Plex-Model=bundled&X-Plex-Device=Windows&X-Plex-Device-Name=Chrome&X-Plex-Device-Screen-Resolution=1920x947%2C1920x1080&X-Plex-Token=-----------------------&X-Plex-Language=en:1 Failed to load resource: net::ERR_EMPTY_RESPONSE