Manually removed folders are not disappearing from library on scan?

[danergo 37]

I added a *special* folder to library: my SD card.

This comes in handy when I wish to access the SD card and preview its content, although it's a bit unortodox use-case for Emby - I know.

This is a Debian system, and I'm on the latest (not beta) 4.8.11.0 version.

Technical details:

# Emby's library mount is /media/Mini4Pro, this is a mount point for my SD card.
# I have checked some files, then ejected the SD card then shut down the system.
# On reboot, I rescanned the library, but all previous files are remained in the library.

# Who is owning /media?
$ ls -all / | grep media
drwxr-xr-x   1 emby   emby    4096 Jul 13 19:17 media

# What is in /media?
$ ls -all /media/
total 144
drwxr-xr-x 1 emby emby   4096 Jul 13 19:17 .
drwxr-xr-x 1 root root   4096 Aug  4  2017 ..
drwxr-xr-x 3 emby emby   4096 Aug 29  2024 local
drwxr-xr-x 6 emby emby 131072 Aug  7 19:26 storage

I'm also attaching my log (debug enabled), which shows a full library scan, and it also shows when I try to play a file from that invalid library.

 

Again, the problem is that the library's main folder (/media/Mini4Pro) is gone:

Would you mind checking this, and see if it's an easy fix or doesn't worth fixing?

 

Thank you

embyserver(1).txt

[Luke 42077]

HI, when you remove a folder or library, the entries in the database start getting deleted in the background. Depending on the size of the library, this might take a little while. 

[danergo 37]

Sorry @Luke, I haven't seen your reply.

This database is very small (less than 100 items). Does it make sense to you?

 

Thank you!

[Luke 42077]

@danergoare the folders still showing? How many Emby libraries have you created, and what folder paths are added to each one?

[danergo 37]

Hi @Luke:

Yes, those folders are still showing.

I have only 2 Emby libraries:

"Home videos & photos" -> /media/storage

"SD Card" -> /media/Mini4Pro

 

Now /media/Mini4Pro is removed (SD card unmounted), but its content stayed in the library, but of course those videos are not playable.

[danergo 37]

I do have an error in the log during library scan (which takes 2 seconds only!)

 

	Version: 4.8.11.0
Command line: /opt/emby-server/system/EmbyServer.dll -programdata /var/lib/emby -ffdetect /opt/emby-server/bin/ffdetect -ffmpeg /opt/emby-server/bin/ffmpeg -ffprobe /opt/emby-server/bin/ffprobe -restartexitcode 3 -updatepackage emby-server-deb_{version}_arm64.deb
Operating system: Linux version 6.1.99 (fa@jensen) (aarch64-linux-gcc (ctng-1.26.0-129g-FA) 14.2.0, GNU ld (GNU Binutils) 2.43.1) #33 SMP Tue Jan 21 11:32:39 CST 2025
Framework: .NET 6.0.36
OS/Process: arm64/arm64
Runtime: opt/emby-server/system/System.Private.CoreLib.dll
Processor count: 4
Data path: /var/lib/emby
Application path: /opt/emby-server/system
System.IO.DirectoryNotFoundException: System.IO.DirectoryNotFoundException: Could not find a part of the path '/media/Mini4Pro'.
at System.IO.Enumeration.FileSystemEnumerator`1.CreateDirectoryHandle(String path, Boolean ignoreNotFound)
at System.IO.Enumeration.FileSystemEnumerator`1.Init()
at System.IO.Enumeration.FileSystemEnumerator`1..ctor(String directory, Boolean isNormalized, EnumerationOptions options)
at System.IO.Enumeration.FileSystemEnumerable`1..ctor(String directory, FindTransform transform, EnumerationOptions options, Boolean isNormalized)
at System.IO.Enumeration.FileSystemEnumerableFactory.FileSystemInfos(String directory, String expression, EnumerationOptions options, Boolean isNormalized)
at System.IO.DirectoryInfo.InternalEnumerateInfos(String path, String searchPattern, SearchTarget searchTarget, EnumerationOptions options)
at System.IO.DirectoryInfo.EnumerateFileSystemInfos(String searchPattern, EnumerationOptions enumerationOptions)
at Emby.Server.Implementations.IO.ManagedFileSystem.EnumerateFileSystemInfos(DirectoryInfo dir, Boolean recursive)
at Emby.Server.Implementations.IO.ManagedFileSystem.GetFileSystemEntries(String path, Boolean recursive, FileSystemCredentials credentials)
at MediaBrowser.Controller.Providers.DirectoryService.GetFileSystemEntriesInternal(String path)
at System.Collections.Concurrent.ConcurrentDictionary`2.GetOrAdd(TKey key, Func`2 valueFactory)
at MediaBrowser.Controller.Providers.DirectoryService.GetFileSystemEntries(String path, Boolean clearCache)
at MediaBrowser.Controller.Providers.DirectoryService.GetFileSystemEntries(String path)
at MediaBrowser.Controller.Entities.BaseItem.GetFileSystemChildren(IDirectoryService directoryService)
at MediaBrowser.Controller.Entities.Folder.GetNonCachedChildren(IDirectoryService directoryService, LibraryOptions libraryOptions)
at MediaBrowser.Controller.Entities.BaseItem.ValidateChildrenInternal(IProgress`1 progress, CancellationToken cancellationToken, Boolean recursive, Boolean refreshChildMetadata, BaseItem[] collectionFolders, LibraryOptions libraryOptions, Dictionary`2 newItemIds, MetadataRefreshOptions refreshOptions, IDirectoryService directoryService)
at Emby.Server.Implementations.Library.LibraryManager.ValidatePhysicalRoots(IProgress`1 progress, IDirectoryService directoryService, CancellationToken cancellationToken)
Source: System.Private.CoreLib
TargetSite: IntPtr CreateDirectoryHandle(System.String, Boolean)
2025-09-03 08:24:00.488 Info TaskManager: Scan media library Completed after 0 minute(s) and 2 seconds

 

[Luke 42077]

@danergowhen you tried to remove it, what exactly did you do?

[danergo 37]

@LukeI just ejected the SD card from the slot, ie. the path `/media/Mini4Pro` disappeared as that was the SD card's mountpoint.

 

You can simulate the same behavior by removing a folder manually. Please note, my library is set to contain "/media/Mini4Pro". So the problem might be that library's root path is removed. But still this should not run onto error, but it should just hide/remove the library from the UI IMHO.

 

What do you think?

[Luke 42077]

Actually I think it should remain visible everywhere until you remove it from library setup. Are you willing to start with a fresh database either now or when the 4.9 release hits?

I believe this is already resolved in the sense that it won't happen again on newer releases. The question now though is how do you climb out of the hole and get this cleaned up.

[danergo 37]

On 9/10/2025 at 8:22 AM, Luke said:

Actually I think it should remain visible everywhere until you remove it from library setup. Are you willing to start with a fresh database either now or when the 4.9 release hits?

I believe this is already resolved in the sense that it won't happen again on newer releases. The question now though is how do you climb out of the hole and get this cleaned up.

So you think starting a new library from scratch would solve this for me?

Or shall I wait for 4.9 first?

 

Thank you!

[Luke 42077]

On 9/22/2025 at 2:29 AM, danergo said:

So you think starting a new library from scratch would solve this for me?

Or shall I wait for 4.9 first?

 

Thank you!

With 4.9 coming any day now, it's probably best to wait and get a fresh database with that.

[danergo 37]

Hi @Luke, should I try it now with 4.9 Beta?

[brothom 177]

On 10/09/2025 at 07:34, danergo said:

You can simulate the same behavior by removing a folder manually. Please note, my library is set to contain "/media/Mini4Pro". So the problem might be that library's root path is removed. But still this should not run onto error, but it should just hide/remove the library from the UI IMHO.

Yep, this seems to only occur when an entire library's root folder is removed. I tried reproducing this as such:

Created
X:\Media\Movies\ <-- library
X:\Media\Movies\Jurassic Park\Jurassic Park (1993)\Jurassic Park (1993).mkv
X:\Media\Movies\Apocalypse Now (1979)\Apocalypse Now (1979).mkv

Removed 
X:\Media\Movies\Jurassic Park\

Only Jurassic Park (1993) is removed

Removed 
X:\Media\Movies\

All entries, previously within "X:\Media\Movies\" are still present in Emby and won't be deleted automatically. 

This logic is prefectly sensible, if a drive is disconnected or corrupted (usually by accident) the media entries are persisted. If you were to remove the library itself, the media entries that were in this library are also removed.

What's stopping you from removing your library attached to "/media/Mini4Pro"?

 

[danergo 37]

I have different SD cards:

• Mini4Pro
• MySD1
• MySD2

All are included in the library. But, obviously only one (or zero) is inserted at once => I wish either all or all but one to disappear on library scan (without removing them from the library config!)

 

Edited October 1, 2025 by danergo

[GrimReaper 4739]

3 hours ago, danergo said:

I have different SD cards:

• Mini4Pro
• MySD1
• MySD2

All are included in the library. But, obviously only one (or zero) is inserted at once => I wish either all or all but one to disappear on library scan (without removing them from the library config!)

 

That is not feasible, as Emby won't remove items from the library if whole mount point is disconnected/unreachable/offline (as @brothomsurmised above), a feature number of users, in particular those with network drives, asked for - only if folders/files underneath are not present, those items will be removed. 

You'll have to rethink your workflow. 

On 9/21/2022 at 11:52 PM, Luke said:

If the entire mount is unreachable, then it stays in the library and the server assumes it is offline.

But the mount is reachable and some folder underneath that is gone, then the server treats that as content having been deleted.

 

[danergo 37]

Did you guys see my error post above? Library scan clearly run onto an error in case that root folder (from library perspective) is removed.

That's why I thought it's possible to remove that library folder automatically.

[Luke 42077]

On 9/22/2025 at 2:29 AM, danergo said:

So you think starting a new library from scratch would solve this for me?

Or shall I wait for 4.9 first?

 

Thank you!

Yea with 4.9 out now, it would be a good time for that.

[danergo 37]

@LukeI have just tried it with 4.9, but error is still showing up:

 

2025-10-04 11:38:50.235 Info App: ValidatePhysicalRoots validating 3618 Mini4Pro /media/Mini4Pro
2025-10-04 11:38:50.244 Info HttpClient: GET https://api.github.com/repos/MediaBrowser/Emby.Releases/releases
2025-10-04 11:38:50.245 Info HttpClient: Http response served from cache from https://api.github.com/repos/MediaBrowser/Emby.Releases/releases
2025-10-04 11:38:50.271 Info TaskManager: Queueing task SubtitleOcrDataTask
2025-10-04 11:38:50.272 Info TaskManager: Executing Download OCR Data
2025-10-04 11:38:50.383 Error App: Error in validateChildren for 3618 /media/Mini4Pro
*** Error Report ***
Version: 4.9.1.80
Command line: /opt/emby-server/system/EmbyServer.dll -programdata /var/lib/emby -ffdetect /opt/emby-server/bin/ffdetect -ffmpeg /opt/emby-server/bin/ffmpeg -ffprobe /opt/emby-server/bin/ffprobe -restartexitcode 3 -updatepackage emby-server-deb_{version}_arm64.deb
Operating system: Linux version 6.1.99 (fa@jensen) (aarch64-linux-gcc (ctng-1.26.0-129g-FA) 14.2.0, GNU ld (GNU Binutils) 2.43.1) #33 SMP Tue Jan 21 11:32:39 CST 2025
OS/Process: arm64/arm64
Framework: .NET 8.0.11
Runtime: opt/emby-server/system/System.Private.CoreLib.dll
Processor count: 4
Data path: /var/lib/emby
Application path: /opt/emby-server/system
System.IO.DirectoryNotFoundException: System.IO.DirectoryNotFoundException: Could not find a part of the path '/media/Mini4Pro'.
at System.IO.Enumeration.FileSystemEnumerator`1.CreateDirectoryHandle(String path, Boolean ignoreNotFound)
at System.IO.Enumeration.FileSystemEnumerator`1.Init()
at System.IO.Enumeration.FileSystemEnumerable`1..ctor(String directory, FindTransform transform, EnumerationOptions options, Boolean isNormalized)
at System.IO.Enumeration.FileSystemEnumerableFactory.FileSystemInfos(String directory, String expression, EnumerationOptions options, Boolean isNormalized)
at System.IO.DirectoryInfo.InternalEnumerateInfos(String path, String searchPattern, SearchTarget searchTarget, EnumerationOptions options)
at Emby.Server.Implementations.IO.ManagedFileSystem.EnumerateFileSystemInfos(DirectoryInfo dir, Boolean recursive)
at Emby.Server.Implementations.IO.ManagedFileSystem.GetFileSystemEntries(String path, Boolean recursive, FileSystemCredentials credentials)
at MediaBrowser.Controller.Providers.DirectoryService.GetFileSystemEntriesInternal(String path)
at System.Collections.Concurrent.ConcurrentDictionary`2.GetOrAdd(TKey key, Func`2 valueFactory)
at MediaBrowser.Controller.Providers.DirectoryService.GetFileSystemEntries(String path, Boolean clearCache)
at MediaBrowser.Controller.Providers.DirectoryService.GetFileSystemEntries(String path)
at MediaBrowser.Controller.Entities.BaseItem.GetFileSystemChildren(IDirectoryService directoryService)
at MediaBrowser.Controller.Entities.Folder.GetNonCachedChildren(IDirectoryService directoryService, BaseItem[] collectionFolders, LibraryOptions libraryOptions)
at MediaBrowser.Controller.Entities.BaseItem.ValidateChildrenInternal(IProgress`1 progress, CancellationToken cancellationToken, Boolean recursive, Boolean refreshChildMetadata, BaseItem[] collectionFolders, LibraryOptions libraryOptions, Dictionary`2 newItemIds, MetadataRefreshOptions refreshOptions, IDirectoryService directoryService)
at Emby.Server.Implementations.Library.LibraryManager.ValidatePhysicalRoots(IProgress`1 progress, IDirectoryService directoryService, CancellationToken cancellationToken)
Source: System.Private.CoreLib
TargetSite: IntPtr CreateDirectoryHandle(System.String, Boolean)

And cached library files still showing up.

I believe it should be feasible to add a "dynamic" option to library preferences: by default it should be turned OFF (=current behavior), but when it's ON: unavailable files are not resulting errors but getting removed instantly from this "dynamic" library.

What do you think?

 

My second option is to just add "/media" as library, but I really don't wish to add that huge folder (just to let the ejected SD card files disappear). 

[Lessaj 467]

I'm not entirely clear on what you want to have happen here, but it sounds like you actually -want- the library to be empty when the SD card(s) are removed. Is that right?

If that is the case, then what you should do based on what you provided in the first post is you need to create the folder for the mount point, such as /media/Mini4Pro (set permissions/ownership accordingly, it can change once a FS is mounted to it), and then mount the SD filesystem to it. I'm not sure how this is being handled presently but your initial post did not show that there is a Mini4Pro folder under /media so I'm assuming it doesn't exist. By creating this folder before you mount the file system to it when it is unmounted then the folder will appear empty, if you have RTM enabled or just run a library scan Emby will detect that and clear out any items related to it. It's only failing to do that now because the folder doesn't exist at all, so it's keeping the items. If this folder is created as part of whatever you're using to mount it, either automatically by your DE or some other program, then I can see that being challenging but not impossible to solve. You can just create fstab entries that don't try to mount automatically on boot (cause they'll fail) and then whenever you attach whichever SD card you can sudo mount /path/to/dir. At that point with either RTM or a library scan Emby will see the new content and start to add it.

[Luke 42077]

8 hours ago, danergo said:

@LukeI have just tried it with 4.9, but error is still showing up:

 

2025-10-04 11:38:50.235 Info App: ValidatePhysicalRoots validating 3618 Mini4Pro /media/Mini4Pro
2025-10-04 11:38:50.244 Info HttpClient: GET https://api.github.com/repos/MediaBrowser/Emby.Releases/releases
2025-10-04 11:38:50.245 Info HttpClient: Http response served from cache from https://api.github.com/repos/MediaBrowser/Emby.Releases/releases
2025-10-04 11:38:50.271 Info TaskManager: Queueing task SubtitleOcrDataTask
2025-10-04 11:38:50.272 Info TaskManager: Executing Download OCR Data
2025-10-04 11:38:50.383 Error App: Error in validateChildren for 3618 /media/Mini4Pro
*** Error Report ***
Version: 4.9.1.80
Command line: /opt/emby-server/system/EmbyServer.dll -programdata /var/lib/emby -ffdetect /opt/emby-server/bin/ffdetect -ffmpeg /opt/emby-server/bin/ffmpeg -ffprobe /opt/emby-server/bin/ffprobe -restartexitcode 3 -updatepackage emby-server-deb_{version}_arm64.deb
Operating system: Linux version 6.1.99 (fa@jensen) (aarch64-linux-gcc (ctng-1.26.0-129g-FA) 14.2.0, GNU ld (GNU Binutils) 2.43.1) #33 SMP Tue Jan 21 11:32:39 CST 2025
OS/Process: arm64/arm64
Framework: .NET 8.0.11
Runtime: opt/emby-server/system/System.Private.CoreLib.dll
Processor count: 4
Data path: /var/lib/emby
Application path: /opt/emby-server/system
System.IO.DirectoryNotFoundException: System.IO.DirectoryNotFoundException: Could not find a part of the path '/media/Mini4Pro'.
at System.IO.Enumeration.FileSystemEnumerator`1.CreateDirectoryHandle(String path, Boolean ignoreNotFound)
at System.IO.Enumeration.FileSystemEnumerator`1.Init()
at System.IO.Enumeration.FileSystemEnumerable`1..ctor(String directory, FindTransform transform, EnumerationOptions options, Boolean isNormalized)
at System.IO.Enumeration.FileSystemEnumerableFactory.FileSystemInfos(String directory, String expression, EnumerationOptions options, Boolean isNormalized)
at System.IO.DirectoryInfo.InternalEnumerateInfos(String path, String searchPattern, SearchTarget searchTarget, EnumerationOptions options)
at Emby.Server.Implementations.IO.ManagedFileSystem.EnumerateFileSystemInfos(DirectoryInfo dir, Boolean recursive)
at Emby.Server.Implementations.IO.ManagedFileSystem.GetFileSystemEntries(String path, Boolean recursive, FileSystemCredentials credentials)
at MediaBrowser.Controller.Providers.DirectoryService.GetFileSystemEntriesInternal(String path)
at System.Collections.Concurrent.ConcurrentDictionary`2.GetOrAdd(TKey key, Func`2 valueFactory)
at MediaBrowser.Controller.Providers.DirectoryService.GetFileSystemEntries(String path, Boolean clearCache)
at MediaBrowser.Controller.Providers.DirectoryService.GetFileSystemEntries(String path)
at MediaBrowser.Controller.Entities.BaseItem.GetFileSystemChildren(IDirectoryService directoryService)
at MediaBrowser.Controller.Entities.Folder.GetNonCachedChildren(IDirectoryService directoryService, BaseItem[] collectionFolders, LibraryOptions libraryOptions)
at MediaBrowser.Controller.Entities.BaseItem.ValidateChildrenInternal(IProgress`1 progress, CancellationToken cancellationToken, Boolean recursive, Boolean refreshChildMetadata, BaseItem[] collectionFolders, LibraryOptions libraryOptions, Dictionary`2 newItemIds, MetadataRefreshOptions refreshOptions, IDirectoryService directoryService)
at Emby.Server.Implementations.Library.LibraryManager.ValidatePhysicalRoots(IProgress`1 progress, IDirectoryService directoryService, CancellationToken cancellationToken)
Source: System.Private.CoreLib
TargetSite: IntPtr CreateDirectoryHandle(System.String, Boolean)

And cached library files still showing up.

I believe it should be feasible to add a "dynamic" option to library preferences: by default it should be turned OFF (=current behavior), but when it's ON: unavailable files are not resulting errors but getting removed instantly from this "dynamic" library.

What do you think?

 

My second option is to just add "/media" as library, but I really don't wish to add that huge folder (just to let the ejected SD card files disappear). 

Did you start with a fresh library database like we talked about?

[danergo 37]

1 hour ago, Luke said:

Did you start with a fresh library database like we talked about?

I deleted then re-created a new fresh library, and added the SDcard location to it.

[Luke 42077]

Quote

I deleted then re-created a new fresh library

What were the exact steps taken?

[danergo 37]

6 hours ago, Luke said:

What were the exact steps taken?

1. Updated to 4.9 stable

2. Removed the sdcard library item from the libraries

3. Create a new library named "SD Card" and tried to add manually the folder "/media/Mini4Pro" -> didn't succeed as the path was invalid (sdcard was not inserted).

4. Insert the sd card

5. Repeat step3 with success.

6. Library scan for "SD Card"

7. Eject the card

8. Library scan for "SD Card"

9. Observing the above error

[Luke 42077]

OK what I actually meant was a fresh server database, which will result in a lot of things being reset. Is that OK?

[danergo 37]

@Lukesure thing.

Shall I uninstall Emby first to reach a clean database or do I have a better approach?

 

Thank you!