Emby Server not starting

[Justus 8]

Since today my emby server does not start anymore. So for 2 seconds the icon appear in the taskbar then it disappears again. I was on the latest stable and have not actually made an update. Even if I want to update to the beta, and start the setup, run it and the update is downloaded in the small window, the server starts for 2 seconds and then no more... I also haven't actually changed anything on firewall or security settings and also nothing on hardware share. So I'm a bit at a loss as to what the problem could be.

[pwhodges 2012]

Share the log, which should show the reason. 

Database corruption from a sudden shutdown would be my first guess, which you can try to repair:

https://support.emby.media/support/solutions/articles/44002210894-corrupt-database

Paul

[GrimReaper 4740]

2 minutes ago, pwhodges said:

Database corruption from a sudden shutdown would be my first guess, which you can try to repair:

https://support.emby.media/support/solutions/articles/44002210894-corrupt-database

I would wait with that until logs are shared, as typically that wouldn't prevent server from starting but would throw errors in the log. 

@Justusdo you have any embyserver processes running?

[Justus 8]

Thanks for the quick answers, I just got home. Here is the log file. I have no idea but the error seems to have something to do with the Top Picks plugin?

edit: It's probably a good idea to remove the plugin, it doesn't work properly for me anyway. Unfortunately, I can't find it under Emby-Server\system\plugins.

 

Edited March 24, 2023 by Justus

[GrimReaper 4740]

It does. Remove Top Picks dll from: C:\Users\Justus\AppData\Roaming\Emby-Server\programdata\plugins, restart server. 

[Justus 8]

5 minutes ago, GrimReaper said:

It does. Remove Top Picks dll from: C:\Users\Justus\AppData\Roaming\Emby-Server\programdata\plugins, restart server. 

Thank you! At least the server starts now, but I don't see any of my films. The libraries, users and settings are all there, but all the media do not appear. Also when scanning "Scan media library failed". Do you need another log?

[GrimReaper 4740]

Not knowing what you did and all the steps you've taken:

1 hour ago, Justus said:

I was on the latest stable and have not actually made an update. Even if I want to update to the beta, and start the setup, run it and the update is downloaded in the small window, the server starts for 2 seconds and then no more...

hard to guess. 

4 minutes ago, Justus said:

Do you need another log?

Logs are always way to go. 

[Justus 8]

1 hour ago, GrimReaper said:

Not knowing what you did and all the steps you've taken:

I have tried to start the emby server several times. Otherwise, I first tried to install the beta, but went further than the steps described (after the download, the small window closed, then the emby symbol appeared in the taskbar for 2 seconds, after which the setup tab actually should open in the browser, but it did not). Then I tried the same thing again with the stable version. Apart from that nothing

 

 

Edited March 24, 2023 by Justus

[GrimReaper 4740]

That's a lot of log - and a lot of errors thrown. If I had to guess you've messed up your db with those installs/reinstalls, just few examples from beginning portion:

Quote

System.IO.DirectoryNotFoundException: Could not find a part of the path 'C:\Users\Justus\AppData\Roaming\Emby-Server\programdata\data\collections'.

System.IO.DirectoryNotFoundException: System.IO.DirectoryNotFoundException: Could not find a part of the path 'C:\Users\Justus\AppData\Roaming\Emby-Server\programdata\data\top-picks

SQLitePCL.pretty.SQLiteException: Error: table MediaItems has no column named UnratedType

SQLitePCL.pretty.SQLiteException: Error: no such column: CodecTimeBase

System.IO.DirectoryNotFoundException: System.IO.DirectoryNotFoundException: Could not find a part of the path 'C:\Users\Justus\AppData\Roaming\Emby-Server\programdata\cache\tvdb\121361\episodes-official.json

As a first step, I'd delete Top Picks library from your Settings>Library tab and uninstall Statistics plugin. As you're having SQLitePCL.pretty.SQLiteException errors also, you might wanna follow first three steps from the link @pwhodgesprovided above, one by one, see what gives. 

Edited March 24, 2023 by GrimReaper

[Justus 8]

Okay, so I followed your two tips and also checked the database with sql but no errors were found. The media are still not displayed. Couldn't I try to run a backup from yesterday with the Emby Backup Plugin? Or should I rename the library.db and scan the library again?

[GrimReaper 4740]

2 minutes ago, Justus said:

Okay, so I followed your two tips and also checked the database with sql but no errors were found. The media are still not displayed

Could you post server log after that? 

2 minutes ago, Justus said:

Couldn't I try to run a backup from yesterday with the Emby Backup Plugin? 

You could. 

8 minutes ago, Justus said:

should I rename the library.db and scan the library again?

I'd wait with that, you can always rebuild. 

[Luke 42078]

The errors in your log are indicate of going back and forth between beta and stable. This is not supported, so you may want to consider deleting the library database and making a fresh start.

 

[Justus 8]

9 minutes ago, GrimReaper said:

Could you post server log after that? 

 

 

Edited March 24, 2023 by Justus

[GrimReaper 4740]

Same story. I'm afraid you'll have to rebuild, as suggested above. 

[Justus 8]

Okay, I've done that now, since the backup didn't help either. It looks good so far, media are already displayed when scanning the library. You both say that as if it were really bad to reload the library.db. Since all the settings are kept, isn't it just rescanning the library for a few hours and rescanning all the intros? Or are there any consequences I don't know about? 

[GrimReaper 4740]

3 minutes ago, Justus said:

You both say that as if it were really bad to reload the library.db.

Considering typical library sizes we encounter, it usually takes way more than few hours. And all custom edits are lost if precautions are not taken, so number of users doesn't take too kindly on that, to say the least. So rebuild is usually last resort. 

Edited March 24, 2023 by GrimReaper

[Justus 8]

1 minute ago, GrimReaper said:

And all custom edits are lost

Ah oh, thats a good point  Maybe the Backup Plugin can take care of that after scanning?

[GrimReaper 4740]

AFAIK reworked Backup & Restore plugin should take care of it in the future (4.8+), but with current stable it doesn't, only way to preserve those is to save artwork/NFOs together with your media. 

[Happy2Play 9780]

The plugin is just configs and user/userdata nothing to do with metadata/image save locally.

You need a complete backup of Emby Program data folder to be able to restore stuff not saved with media.

 

But believe the plugin will eventually change to that.

[Justus 8]

2 minutes ago, Happy2Play said:

You need a complete backup of Emby Program data folder to be able to restore stuff not saved with media.

Yeah i have one from 5 month ago or so. Also, I just noticed that the continue watching segment is empty, so all the films I've already watched are gone, I don't know if that's loaded at the end of the scan. Which folders or files from the programme data folder should I insert again?

[GrimReaper 4740]

2 minutes ago, Justus said:

Also, I just noticed that the continue watching segment is empty, so all the films I've already watched are gone,

That you would restore from Backup plugin. 

9 minutes ago, Happy2Play said:

The plugin is just configs and user/userdata

 

[Happy2Play 9780]

To a point you need the entire Emby program data folder as the database is linked to /metadata/library/xx/xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx folders.

You might get away with just the library.db in your current install, then restore userdata via the plugin.

[Justus 8]

19 minutes ago, Happy2Play said:

To a point you need the entire Emby program data folder as the database is linked to /metadata/library/xx/xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx folders.

You might get away with just the library.db in your current install, then restore userdata via the plugin.

Okay, scan is already done. With the backup, the continue watching things are also back. What still needs to be done is the changed metadata. But if I copy the complete program data folder, isn't the library.db also included? So replace everything except the newly created library.db?

 

Edit: Thanks btw to all of you guys, ur amazing! @Happy2Play @GrimReaper @Luke

Edited March 24, 2023 by Justus

[Happy2Play 9780]

Issues with that is your new db could have different folder info for /metadata/library/xx/xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx so mix and matching  may or may not work

[Justus 8]

okay, I leave it as it is, there were not many manual changes. Thanks for the quick and numerous help!