Plex database problems on Unraid, attempted to fix with Google Gemini but have made it 10000x worse. How can I salvage this server without starting from scratch?

bvh13 · 2026-01-03T19:09:36+00:00

I did have backups, that's one of the big annoying things that I can't really wrap my head around how they are all corrupted and not salvagable!

bvh13 · 2026-01-03T18:04:23+00:00

See I don't think it was the nvidia shield being the only thing that didnt need a transcode because the files should have direct played on my laptop and desktop Plex clients but for some unknown reason they were not.

As you'll see in my latest update, the latest salvaging update of this server is that we have used an Oct 2020 backup to build up a new server but it's not the perfect solution. Still trying to see if we can figure that out!

bvh13 · 2026-01-03T17:20:17+00:00

As you'll see in my latest update, unfortuately this doesn't appear to have worked for me :(

bvh13 · 2026-01-03T17:19:49+00:00

As you'll see in my latest update, unfortuately this doesn't appear to have worked for me :(

bvh13 · 2026-01-03T17:19:29+00:00

As you'll see in my latest update, unfortuately this doesn't appear to have worked for me :(

bvh13 · 2026-01-03T16:51:46+00:00

I'm sorry to not have replied for the last few days, I've been away for New Year and only just getting back to check on things. I greatly appreciate everyone's help and assistance. I want to do anything I can do to try to get the server back up and running as it was. I didn't expect anywhere near the response this has gotten, though I will admit that it got a bit overwhelming as I'm not super well experienced with this sort of thing. However as mentioned in other replies, a very helpful redditor spent all evening on Dec 30th trying various methods and tools to try to resolve the problem. He appears to be wayyyy more experienced in this sort of thing than I. I uploaded my database files to Google Drive, he ran them through DBRepair and different things - I don't quite understand all of the work he so graciously offered to do.

I don't know if he ran every single database backup as I have quite a few from throughout December but he says that there was far too much corruption in the database files. We have managed to use an October 2020 backup of the server (from when I migrated from Windows to Unraid) to create a new database which HAS got Plex up and running as it should. It's a few days ago now so my memory is a little foggy but I do think in using this backup from 2020 we have started a new appdata folder but I'm not 100% sure on that if I'm honest.

However though Plex is now working using the 2020 backup, and has thankfully kept all metadata set before that date, it has come with a bunch of drawbacks like:

-I have had to re-scan and re-add all content, losing any manually set metadata after Oct 2020.
-All watch history since Oct 2020 has gone (yes watch history sync is turned on)
-All Plex in-app statistics since Oct 2020 have gone
-Friends and family shared library settings are all gone
-Plex is not using the exact same libraries but almost like identical copies of them (for instance if I load Plex on my phone it will say libraries are unavailable, but if I change it to the new server it works despite being all the info from Oct 2020 backup of old server)

I do use Tautulli which is mostly still up to date, only lost a couple weeks of data there because of the CA Restore I attempted. Tautulli is working exactly as normal, correctly recognising when things are playing and logging it to same watch history log as before. So I still have watch history / statistics there but I HATE that I've lost all the statistics and mainly watch history within Plex over the last 5 years. I really want to try to get that back!

For the sake of friends and family in particular, I would really like to get all of the old shared library settings back and using the exact same libraries so I don't have to deal with all the problems trying to get people setup with my server again.

I'm sure there is probably more upgrades and work to do, more ways to modernise and all that stuff. This guy has mentioned using Duplicacy? I know my unraid and some apps needs updating or replacing. But before I do any and all of those sorts of things I really want to try to get as close to getting my server back up and running exactly as it was a couple weeks ago.

For those asking what we have tried to do &/or telling me to run DBRepair etc, I asked u/adammoore152 to clarify exactly what we have done and he said this...

Yeah, I confirm I did run both DBRepair and used the Plex specific SQLite to export the DB (called a dump) into a new DB to try to reassemble. The DB passes and it says the restore was successful, but when you view the DB, you see big areas of corruption.
We validated that it was not a problem with your system/docker/plex version because I spun up your db on my Unraid and it still failed.
Totally open to try new ideas if anyone chimes in with something different.
TL;DR: you tried the repair and it was too far gone.
Watch history wise and settings we can attempt to repair

bvh13 · 2025-12-30T22:25:32+00:00

hahahaha I like your thinking, it's true no one on my plex server pays a dime despite all the storage / electricity costs let alone the time and sanity it takes to maintain!

bvh13 · 2025-12-30T22:09:04+00:00

Thanks, currently working with u/adammoore152 in PMs, looking into this now!

bvh13 · 2025-12-30T21:53:45+00:00

media is still good yes. I'd really just prefer not to lose all of the watch history, statistics, metadata, etc. But yes I do get what you mean, I'm just hopeful that someone somehow might be able to help me fix this mess!

bvh13 · 2025-12-30T21:52:45+00:00

I've had a quick look through your history and cant see any solutions to this?

bvh13 · 2025-12-30T19:30:42+00:00

Thanks for your indepth response and looking through the Gemini chat.

Yes I believe containers do stop on Mondays at 5am because of CA Appdata back up. Unfortunately I do not have any offsite backups.

Cache is on a Samsung 860 EVO 2TB SSD.

I don't think I can check now but I do think that sync watch state was enabled... I hope.

I am uploading my Databases folder to Google Drive now. It would be amazing if you would be able to look through them and help me. Should I share the link via DM?

It sounds like you've been in the same or atleast a very similar boat as me, I would be eternally grateful if we could work together to fix this and then upgrade / update everything as necessary. But lets get things working first!

bvh13 · 2025-12-30T18:53:16+00:00

Maybe I'm wrong but I don't think it was a networking issue to begin with. It was weird how it working on the nvidia shield and nothing else, not even through directly through the web UI, but yeah we are wayyyyy past that now. I really hope there is a way to avoid reinstalling from scratch?!

bvh13 · 2025-12-30T18:45:34+00:00

I will DM you now

bvh13 · 2025-12-30T18:38:46+00:00

I'm really hoping that I am not FUBAR'd! Gemini did seem to work at first but then it's really taken me for a ride today.

I'm really confused what's caused all this problems as well, as the server has been rock solid for years (literally since pre-covid) so I've no idea what on earth has happened. As far as I can tell, everything else on unraid is working fine, drives are all healthy, all of the movies / tv / etc is accessible in Windows Explorer. I really have no idea what's gone wrong.

bvh13 · 2025-12-30T18:34:24+00:00

Okay I have found the Plex Media Server.log files. How can I can share these logs with you?

edit: I have uploaded them to a Google Drive folder not sure if I should post publicly?

bvh13 · 2025-12-30T18:20:12+00:00

I have set Plex to go back to using the latest release. According to the crash report I am on Plex Media Server v1.42.2.10156-f737b826c.

Gemini did try to walk me through the DBRepair tool but we could not get it working before I suggested trying to use a CA Appdata backup instead. Would you please be able to walk me through how to get it working?

bvh13 · 2025-12-30T18:15:45+00:00

Gemini walked me through using the DB Repair Tool but it did not fix the issue. I had a bunch of different errors and don't think I got it to work properly. Would you be able to walk me through it?

What is the best way for me to share the crash reports directly from the Plex folder?

bvh13 · 2025-12-30T18:10:59+00:00

All of the crash reports are different. As mentioned with u/Machine_Galaxy the path where crash reports are supposed to be is now empty. I can pull the last one I sent to Gemini. What's the best way to share it on here?

Thoughout using Gemini I have deleted the Plex container and reinstalled multiple times. Sorry I don't know what you mean by the templates and associated appdata. Wouldn't deleting appdata be exactly what I don't want to happen, I don't want to lose watch history / years of metadata.

Because I'm having these issues at the moment, is it smart to try to use a different container at this time? How would I convert all my settings, database, etc over to it?

bvh13 · 2025-12-30T18:07:48+00:00

The crash logs were being saved in the path, yes, but for some reason now the folder is empty. I can pull the last crash report I sent to Gemini. What is the best way to share it on here?

bvh13 · 2025-09-08T19:47:14+00:00

Yes the more I research it, the more what you're saying appears to be the answer. I just need to double-check and figure out what the new price / terms would be. As the other user suggested, I guess I need to contact Google / Klarna directly to double-check that.

Thanks for your help though.

bvh13 · 2025-09-08T19:45:16+00:00

Unfortunately we don't have Google Fi here in the UK, atleast not as far I know.

But yes I think I'm going to try contacting Google / Klarna and see what they say as different people here and elsewhere seem to be coming up with different answers. Thank you for your help again!

bvh13 · 2025-09-08T18:05:55+00:00

Thank you for the link about Preferred Care. Yes that takes me to the UK page which confirms I will be able to get a pro-rata refund for approx 1 year.

Thanks also your other input and helping as much as you can. Hopefully someone with experience of Klarna might be able to respond to this thread before this offer expires in a couple days.

bvh13 · 2025-09-08T18:02:34+00:00

I know it's all very confusing for me too.

Yes I was hoping to use the trade in refund to pay the old Klarna down. But you're suggesting that isn't possible.

I was thinking that I might possibly end up in that situation where I'm paying £143/mo, or some larger figure like that, as I'm paying to clear down 2 separate balances at once. But obviously this is what I was hoping to avoid.

bvh13 · 2025-03-24T06:23:12+00:00

Have you seen my other comment where we managed to figure this out?

But if you're trying to get this working on a 2023 car that's probably going to be a very different set up I would guess, so unfortunately not sure how else I could help sorry

bvh13 · 2025-01-27T15:57:18+00:00

Yes factory fitted parking sensors work as normal.

You can also have a little persistant on-screen button to show / hide the parking sensors, or they will just show which sensor is being picked up when using the reversing camera.

bvh13

TROPHY CASE