Plex install problem

Bugs
#1

Having a new issue with installing Plex on a fresh QuickBox install within an LXC container on Proxmox. When I run ‘box install plex’, I get the following:

Installing plex Setting up hostname for plex ...

Setting up plex apache configuration ...
Installing plex keys and sources ...
--2016-10-24 12:40:07--  http://shell.ninthgate.se/packages/shell.ninthgate.se.gpg.key
Resolving shell.ninthgate.se (shell.ninthgate.se)... 195.22.88.165
Connecting to shell.ninthgate.se (shell.ninthgate.se)|195.22.88.165|:80... connected.
HTTP request sent, awaiting response... 200 OK
Length: 3499 (3.4K) [application/pgp-keys]
Saving to: 'STDOUT'

-                           100%[========================================>]   3.42K  --.-KB/s    in 0.001s

2016-10-24 12:40:08 (5.73 MB/s) - written to stdout [3499/3499]

OK

Updating system ...

chown: invalid user: 'plex:plex'
#2

I can’t access plex web interface either using x2go or with an SSH tunnel. The link on the dashboard also gives me a 503 error.

#3

Will you run box upgrade real quick and then try the install one more time.

I encountered this issues yesterday as well. It happened after I had already had an existing (and deleted) Plex though. I will need to spare some time and see why. I am definitely running into instances wherein I need to install it twice for it to install properly.

1 Like
#4

Now it seems to be hung on Updating system ...

#5

Hit Enter - @liara made an adjustment earlier to address this, but it started spitting out errors for several people in regards to bad options.

#6

Ok, that worked. Installation finished and after the usual futzing with plex (multiple attempts at adding it to my plex.tv account with or without tunnels, with x2go, etc.) it finally worked.

It’s a shame Plex made it such a mess to get it running headless. I always manage to get it working, but I can never really explain how. It’s witchcraft.

#7

Indeed, and it’s a topic Plex likes to ignore… which makes it additionally frustrating. Another issue I have hit on fresh installs is the system thinking it’s already bound to the proxy port. So, let’s mark this as a bug. It needs to have some focus on the installer sooner than later.

1 Like
#8

I’m running the public plex releases. I’ve found the latest PlexPass to be be VERY unstable for me. I spent an entire day trying to make it work and then just wrote scripts to quickly move between public and plexpass. public has been much more stable.

#9

just tried a complete new install on a Ubuntu 16.10. with 2.4.8
Went smoot but plex was red and refused to go green :slight_smile:

Install had problems starting the service because of a missing folder.
/var/lib/plexmediaserver/Library/Application Support was missing.

So should you encounter this just make the folder, reinstall plex, do a plex upgrade.
Runs like a charm with newest version!

#10

Running into the same issue as the OP. When I attempt to upgradePlex I get this…

Restarting Plex Media Server service …
Job for plexmediaserver.service failed because the control process exited with error code. See “systemctl status plexmediaserver.service” and “journalctl -xe” for details.

When I run systemctl status plexmediaserver.service this is the result…

plexmediaserver.service - Plex Media Server for Linux
Loaded: loaded (/etc/systemd/system/plexmediaserver.service; enabled; vendor pr
Active: inactive (dead) (Result: exit-code) since Fri 2016-10-28 12:07:39 EDT;
Process: 63249 ExecStartPre=/bin/sh -c /usr/bin/test -d "${PLEX_MEDIA_SERVER_APP

Oct 28 12:07:34 vachman systemd[1]: Failed to start Plex Media Server for Linux.
Oct 28 12:07:34 vachman systemd[1]: plexmediaserver.service: Unit entered failed s
Oct 28 12:07:34 vachman systemd[1]: plexmediaserver.service: Failed with result 'e
Oct 28 12:07:39 vachman systemd[1]: plexmediaserver.service: Service hold-off time
Oct 28 12:07:39 vachman systemd[1]: Stopped Plex Media Server for Linux.
Oct 28 12:07:39 vachman systemd[1]: plexmediaserver.service: Start request repeate
Oct 28 12:07:39 vachman systemd[1]: Failed to start Plex Media Server for Linux.

Any help would be appreciated.

#11

yeah read my reply just above yours!
Create the missing folders…

#12

I’ve added the folder and still can’t get Plex to go green in the dashboard. Not too sure whats going on

#13

Is it owned by plex:plex?

chown -R plex:plex /var/lib/plexmediaserver

#14

After deleting an reinstalling a few times I got it to work. Not too sure what did the trick since I tried just about everything posted recently in regards to Plex having issues.

#15

I got a new fresh install on virtual machine on a proxmox (Debian 8 - 2 cpu - 4gb ram - 1To DD), everything work, rutorrent / sickrage / download.

But i got problem with Plex, first install was hard, after install i must do an apt-get update && upgrade to get the new .conf & user and i put the right access to the /var/lib/plexmediaserver folder. it’s seems to work but when i’ve got created my library in plex from a rutorrent folder files less than 300Mb not appear (it’s a limitation plex scanner) but .mp4 was not loaded i got error through web app / xbox one app or android…

I do a reinstall complete of plex, but now it’s not starting i only got :

systemctl status plexmediaserver.service
    ● plexmediaserver.service - Plex Media Server for Linux
       Loaded: loaded (/etc/systemd/system/plexmediaserver.service; enabled)
       Active: activating (auto-restart) (Result: exit-code) since Fri 2016-11-04 11:14:14 CET; 1s ago
      Process: 11508 ExecStart=/bin/sh -c LD_LIBRARY_PATH=/usr/lib/plexmediaserver /usr/lib/plexmediaserver/Plex\ Media\ Server (code=exited, status=134)
      Process: 11506 ExecStartPre=/bin/sh -c /usr/bin/test -d "${PLEX_MEDIA_SERVER_APPLICATION_SUPPORT_DIR}" || /bin/mkdir -p "${PLEX_MEDIA_SERVER_APPLICATION_SUPPORT_DIR}" (code=exited, status=0/SUCCESS)
     Main PID: 11508 (code=exited, status=134)

    Nov 04 11:14:14 myquickbox systemd[1]: Unit plexmediaserver.service entered failed state.

And plex appear green in dashboard…

So if someone got an idea or a start to got plex start first and after we will check why files are not loading in it.

#16

Hello,

I’ve exactly the same problem when I want to install Plex app in console :

Updating system …
chown: invalid user: ‘plex:plex’

Do you have a fix ?

Thanks.

#17

exactly same problem here, need some help

#18

Script doesn’t create user so you have to do it:

  1. Uninstall plexmediaserver

  2. Run this

adduser --quiet --system --shell /bin/bash --home /var/lib/plexmediaserver --group plex

then reinstall plex, and finaly open your beer & enjoy :wink:

3 Likes
#19

I had to also create /var/lib/plexmediaserver/Plex Media Server and chown -R plex:plex /var/lib/plexmediaserver

Plex was green on the dashboard, I rebooted and same problem as before…

● plexmediaserver.service - Plex Media Server for Linux
Loaded: loaded (/lib/systemd/system/plexmediaserver.service; enabled; vendor preset: enabled)
Active: inactive (dead) (Result: exit-code) since Tue 2016-12-13 00:40:13 CET; 1min 22s ago
Process: 1195 ExecStart=/bin/sh -c LD_LIBRARY_PATH=/usr/lib/plexmediaserver /usr/lib/plexmediaserver/Plex\ Media\ Server
Process: 1191 ExecStartPre=/bin/sh -c /usr/bin/test -d “${PLEX_MEDIA_SERVER_APPLICATION_SUPPORT_DIR}” || /bin/mkdir -p "
Main PID: 1195 (code=exited, status=126)

Dec 13 00:40:08 QBOX3_HETZNY systemd[1]: plexmediaserver.service: Unit entered failed state.
Dec 13 00:40:08 QBOX3_HETZNY systemd[1]: plexmediaserver.service: Failed with result ‘exit-code’.
Dec 13 00:40:13 QBOX3_HETZNY systemd[1]: plexmediaserver.service: Service hold-off time over, scheduling restart.
Dec 13 00:40:13 QBOX3_HETZNY systemd[1]: Stopped Plex Media Server for Linux.
Dec 13 00:40:13 QBOX3_HETZNY systemd[1]: plexmediaserver.service: Start request repeated too quickly.
Dec 13 00:40:13 QBOX3_HETZNY systemd[1]: Failed to start Plex Media Server for Linux.

#20

Hello guys,

Thank you for sharing the solution. I’ve installed Plex in the past and never had this problem.