Scan Media Library Task performs remote metadata lookups despite “Never” setting

[denzoid 62]

Problem

I'm running Emby Server 4.9.5.0 on Unraid.

My Music library is configured with:

• After initial import, automatically refresh metadata from the internet: Never

• Metadata downloaders: Discogs, MusicBrainz, TheAudioDB

• Same Image fetchers are enabled.

When I manually run Scan Media  from Scheduled Tasks, Emby spends a significant amount of time identifying/processing music and makes external metadata requests.

The attached log shows Emby making requests to:

• TheAudioDB

• Discogs

• Fanart.tv

• MusicBrainz

For example:

DiscogsArtistImageProvider.GetImages

and:

Emby.Providers.Manager.MetadataService.ExecuteRemoteProviders

Discogs is also returning HTTP 429 TooManyRequests because of the volume of requests.

My understanding is that a normal Scan Media Library should detect new/changed files and should not perform a remote metadata refresh when the library is set to Never after the initial import.

Is this expected behavior in 4.9.5.0, or is there a setting I'm missing?

If this is a bug, is there a known workaround or fix?

I'll attach the relevant embyserver.txt log showing the requests.

embyserver (2).txt

[ebr 16676]

I believe that setting applies to changing existing metadata.  The server is going to look to fill in missing metadata continuously.

[denzoid 62]

It seems to spend 15-20 minutes every scan looking for the same thing, is there anyway to disable this or any workaround?

[Luke 43036]

It doesn’t actually look to fill in anything continuously after the initial import.

 Something is causing them to be refreshed, probably a media file change, nfo file change, image file change, etc. I see you use strm files do also if the contents change. 
 

Whenever it refreshes it goes through the full chain of all your embedded providers.

[denzoid 62]

36 minutes ago, Luke said:

It doesn’t actually look to fill in anything continuously after the initial import.

 Something is causing them to be refreshed, probably a media file change, nfo file change, image file change, etc. I see you use strm files do also if the contents change. 
 

Whenever it refreshes it goes through the full chain of all your embedded providers.

OK I'm just not understanding, I am using the Xtream tuner plugin and adjusting what gets imported thru that, so I am triggering a media scan and the scan keeps trying to get images etc for items in my music library even though nothing has changed in that library and the scan spends 15-20 minutes attempting to get that before going on to my xtream library. Is this a problem with my files in my music library? do i need better tags or something? Any suggestions appreciated.

[Luke 43036]

Can you enable debug logging, restart the server and then run another library scan? Thanks.

[denzoid 62]

1 hour ago, Luke said:

Can you enable debug logging, restart the server and then run another library scan? Thanks.

Thanks Luke, attached is a log with debug enabled.

embyserver.txt

[Luke 43036]

It's hard to say why it's wanting to refresh metadata on the artists. since you completed the scan, they should not refresh again on the next one.

if you find that still happening, then i would shutdown the server, then delete all .dll files from:

/config/plugins

Then start the server and run one scan, let it complete, followed by a second one, and then we'll see how that second one behaves.

[denzoid 62]

15 hours ago, Luke said:

It's hard to say why it's wanting to refresh metadata on the artists. since you completed the scan, they should not refresh again on the next one.

if you find that still happening, then i would shutdown the server, then delete all .dll files from:

/config/plugins

Then start the server and run one scan, let it complete, followed by a second one, and then we'll see how that second one behaves.

That seemed to do the trick! I moved out all the plugin dll files, restarted (it automatically reinstalled a handful of plugin dll files) ran the scan media files scheduled tasks manually a couple times. The scan times were way, way down. I then moved back my other dll files being careful not to replace the newly installed versions, ran a few more scans and times are back to what I would consider normal, around 6-8 minutes. Thanks for the help!

[Luke 43036]

So you put all the plugins back in?

[denzoid 62]

15 minutes ago, Luke said:

So you put all the plugins back in?

Yes, and scans are averaging 7-8  minutes again.

[Luke 43036]

OK if all the plugins are back then I would keep an eye out for it happening again.