Plex: "Server settings are unavailable" (FIXED)

bpothier

Cadet
Joined
Apr 30, 2016
Messages
4
Applies to: FreeNAS 11.x, TrueNAS 12.x
Recently had issue where I upgraded plex (inside iocage jail using PMS_Updater.sh script) on a newly created iocage jail and the settings pages no longer function in Plex web UI.
Media plays, media scan works, just nothing for that specific Plex server settings work and return "Server settings are unavailable". Log files woudl contain things like:
"Timeout or error reading status line from plug-in pipe [com.plexapp.system], we're killing it."
"Error received reading configuration for com.plexapp.system"
(see more examples in section below)
ERROR - Timeout or error reading status line from plug-in pipe [com.plexapp.system], we're killing it.
ERROR - Error received reading configuration for com.plexapp.system
ERROR - Timeout or error reading status line from plug-in pipe [com.plexapp.system], we're killing it.
ERROR - Error received reading configuration for com.plexapp.system
ERROR - Timeout or error reading status line from plug-in pipe [tv.plex.agents.music], we're killing it.
ERROR - Error received reading configuration for tv.plex.agents.music
ERROR - Timeout or error reading status line from plug-in pipe [com.plexapp.agents.movieposterdb], we're killing it.
ERROR - Error received reading configuration for com.plexapp.agents.movieposterdb
ERROR - Timeout or error reading status line from plug-in pipe [com.plexapp.agents.opensubtitles], we're killing it.
ERROR - Error received reading configuration for com.plexapp.agents.opensubtitles
ERROR - Timeout or error reading status line from plug-in pipe [com.plexapp.system], we're killing it.
ERROR - Error received reading configuration for com.plexapp.system
ERROR - Timeout or error reading status line from plug-in pipe [com.plexapp.agents.lastfm], we're killing it.
ERROR - Error received reading configuration for com.plexapp.agents.lastfm
ERROR - Timeout or error reading status line from plug-in pipe [com.plexapp.system], we're killing it.
ERROR - Error received reading configuration for com.plexapp.system
ERROR - Timeout or error reading status line from plug-in pipe [com.plexapp.system], we're killing it.
ERROR - Error received reading configuration for com.plexapp.system
ERROR - Timeout or error reading status line from plug-in pipe [com.plexapp.agents.imdb], we're killing it.
ERROR - Error received reading configuration for com.plexapp.agents.imdb
ERROR - Timeout or error reading status line from plug-in pipe [com.plexapp.agents.fanarttv], we're killing it.
ERROR - Error received reading configuration for com.plexapp.agents.fanarttv
ERROR - Timeout or error reading status line from plug-in pipe [com.plexapp.system], we're killing it.
ERROR - Error received reading configuration for com.plexapp.system
ERROR - Timeout or error reading status line from plug-in pipe [tv.plex.agents.movie], we're killing it.
ERROR - Error received reading configuration for tv.plex.agents.movie
ERROR - Timeout or error reading status line from plug-in pipe [com.plexapp.system], we're killing it.
ERROR - Error received reading configuration for com.plexapp.system
ERROR - Timeout or error reading status line from plug-in pipe [com.plexapp.system], we're killing it.
ERROR - Error received reading configuration for com.plexapp.system
ERROR - Timeout or error reading status line from plug-in pipe [com.plexapp.agents.none], we're killing it.
ERROR - Error received reading configuration for com.plexapp.agents.none
ERROR - Timeout or error reading status line from plug-in pipe [com.plexapp.system], we're killing it.
ERROR - Error received reading configuration for com.plexapp.system
ERROR - Timeout or error reading status line from plug-in pipe [com.plexapp.agents.themoviedb], we're killing it.
ERROR - Error received reading configuration for com.plexapp.agents.themoviedb
ERROR - Timeout or error reading status line from plug-in pipe [com.plexapp.agents.htbackdrops], we're killing it.
ERROR - Error received reading configuration for com.plexapp.agents.htbackdrops
ERROR - Timeout or error reading status line from plug-in pipe [com.plexapp.system], we're killing it.
ERROR - Error received reading configuration for com.plexapp.system
ERROR - Timeout or error reading status line from plug-in pipe [com.plexapp.system], we're killing it.
ERROR - Error received reading configuration for com.plexapp.system
ERROR - Timeout or error reading status line from plug-in pipe [com.plexapp.system], we're killing it.
ERROR - Error received reading configuration for com.plexapp.system
ERROR - Timeout or error reading status line from plug-in pipe [com.plexapp.agents.plexthememusic], we're killing it.
ERROR - Error received reading configuration for com.plexapp.agents.plexthememusic
ERROR - Timeout or error reading status line from plug-in pipe [org.musicbrainz.agents.music], we're killing it.
ERROR - Error received reading configuration for org.musicbrainz.agents.music
ERROR - Timeout or error reading status line from plug-in pipe [com.plexapp.system], we're killing it.
ERROR - Error received reading configuration for com.plexapp.system
ERROR - Timeout or error reading status line from plug-in pipe [com.plexapp.system], we're killing it.
ERROR - Error received reading configuration for com.plexapp.system
ERROR - Timeout or error reading status line from plug-in pipe [com.plexapp.agents.lyricfind], we're killing it.
ERROR - Error received reading configuration for com.plexapp.agents.lyricfind
ERROR - Timeout or error reading status line from plug-in pipe [com.plexapp.system], we're killing it.
ERROR - Timeout or error reading status line from plug-in pipe [com.plexapp.agents.thetvdb], we're killing it.
ERROR - Error received reading configuration for com.plexapp.system
ERROR - Error received reading configuration for com.plexapp.agents.thetvdb
ERROR - Timeout or error reading status line from plug-in pipe [com.plexapp.agents.localmedia], we're killing it.
ERROR - Error received reading configuration for com.plexapp.agents.localmedia
ERROR - Timeout or error reading status line from plug-in pipe [com.plexapp.system], we're killing it.
ERROR - Error received reading configuration for com.plexapp.system
ERROR - Timeout or error reading status line from plug-in pipe [tv.plex.agents.series], we're killing it.
ERROR - Error received reading configuration for tv.plex.agents.series
ERROR - Timeout or error reading status line from plug-in pipe [com.plexapp.system], we're killing it.
ERROR - Error received reading configuration for com.plexapp.system
ERROR - Timeout or error reading status line from plug-in pipe [com.plexapp.system], we're killing it.
ERROR - Error received reading configuration for com.plexapp.system
ERROR - Timeout or error reading status line from plug-in pipe [com.plexapp.agents.imdb], we're killing it.
ERROR - Error received reading configuration for com.plexapp.agents.imdb
There was an old thread that mentioned this error and I recall following the thread for a while and found a fix on another thread somewhere, so figured I would add another thread with a FIX.

The core issue is that Plex changed their directory layout somewhere along the way to move the plexmediaserver library files (e.g. "libpython27.so") into a lib subdirectory, e.g.:
/usr/local/share/plexmediaserver/lib/ or /usr/local/etc/rc.d/plexmediaserver_plexpass/lib/
The jail startup script does not set the LD_LIBRARY_PATH to look there. One solution was "move everything from lib/* to main directory, but this will break on the next PMS_Updater.sh run.
The "correct" fix is to edit: (inside iocage/jail) "/usr/local/etc/rc.d/plexmediaserver" to set LD_LIBRARY_PATH environment variable to be "${SCRIPTPATH}/lib" when it starts Plex, e.g.:
Code:
....
        export HOME="${plexmediaserver_support_path}/Plex Media Server"
        export PYTHONHOME="/usr/local/share/plexmediaserver/Resources/Python"
        export SCRIPTPATH="/usr/local/share/plexmediaserver"
        export LD_LIBRARY_PATH="${SCRIPTPATH}/lib"
        export PLEX_MEDIA_SERVER_HOME="${SCRIPTPATH}"
        export PLEX_MEDIA_SERVER_MAX_PLUGIN_PROCS=${plexmediaserver_maxplugins}
....


Hopefully this helps someone (or even *me* if I break things again :cool:)
 

bpothier

Cadet
Joined
Apr 30, 2016
Messages
4
Forgot to include, after updating, either restart the service within the jail or restart the jail.
e.g. (from inside jail) "service plexmediaserver restart"
 

ThreeDee

Guru
Joined
Jun 13, 2013
Messages
698

bpothier

Cadet
Joined
Apr 30, 2016
Messages
4
This has been a "thing" with several of the latest updates from Plex .. seems like every other update I've had to put that line back in

Hopefully I included enough "search engine" friendly text to make this post easier to find...
Also forgot to mention that it impacts trying to edit or create libraries.
The PMS_updater script moves/replaces the /usr/local/share/plexmediaserver directory every update, so don't add the LD_LIBRARY_PATH setting there.
The /usr/local/etc/rc.d/plexmediaserver one should be fairly static - once a iocage/jail is created.
 

csax

Dabbler
Joined
Apr 11, 2021
Messages
10
The PMS_updater script moves/replaces the /usr/local/share/plexmediaserver directory every update, so don't add the LD_LIBRARY_PATH setting there.
The /usr/local/etc/rc.d/plexmediaserver one should be fairly static - once a iocage/jail is created.
I was mapping it in /mnt/.... and never had any problems when updating
The last four updates ran automatically at night and went well so far. I am using a cron job
Code:
iocage exec PlexPass /bin/sh /usr/local/PMS_Updater/PMS_Updater.sh -v -a
 

Jrjy3

Dabbler
Joined
Jan 3, 2015
Messages
23
Ran into this issue after the most recent update as well. Just want to confirm that adding export LD_LIBRARY_PATH="${SCRIPTPATH}/lib" to the rc.d file for plex worked for me.

Thanks for the search engine friendly text :smile:
 

csjjpm

Contributor
Joined
Feb 16, 2015
Messages
126
Thank you, I was just about to reinstall and thought I'd check on here and you saved me a load of hassle. Thanks for posting this.
 

peter_cd.cn

Dabbler
Joined
Feb 9, 2018
Messages
39
Media plays, media scan works, just nothing for that specific Plex server settings work and return "Server settings are unavailable". Log files woudl contain things like:
"Timeout or error reading status line from plug-in pipe [com.plexapp.system], we're killing it."

Hi thanks for putting up the post. I would like to ask what file did you see the above error? So I know what logs to check for the future. Thanks
 

elorimer

Contributor
Joined
Aug 26, 2019
Messages
194
There is a fairly long thread in the plex forum about this, including a debate about whether this is the best/proper/final solution, so we'll have to continue watching out for this and the related problem in the PMS_Updater.sh script. I'm not clear on why this popped up for me in the most recent update, since the old thread was a while back.
 

Jailer

Not strong, but bad
Joined
Sep 12, 2014
Messages
4,975
This issue seems to be fixed with the latest Plex update 1.23.2.4656 (installed via pkg, not the plugin).
 

elorimer

Contributor
Joined
Aug 26, 2019
Messages
194
This issue seems to be fixed with the latest Plex update 1.23.2.4656 (installed via pkg, not the plugin).
Not for me it wasn't, or for folks in the long thread. Not for 4692 either, according to reports there.
 
Last edited:

ThreeDee

Guru
Joined
Jun 13, 2013
Messages
698
1.23.3.4692
Latest update directly from Plex has settings showing just fine
 
Joined
Jul 6, 2021
Messages
1
Registered just to +1 this, I had been having this issue after trying to upgrade using the PMS script and adding that line in my rc.d file sixed it immediately. This still happened to me with the latest release, 1.23.3.4707, and I tried rolling back several versions without success, I probably just didn't get back far enough to before they made the move to the /lib directory. Thanks again!
 

SnowFox

Cadet
Joined
Sep 24, 2021
Messages
1
Thanks a lot for posting the fix to this issue. Ive been looking for a way to fix this. I just had to add the LD_LIBRARY_PATH line to the plex rc.d file. Restarted the jail and Setings can up perfectly.
 

spiceygas

Explorer
Joined
Jul 9, 2020
Messages
63
The core issue is that Plex changed their directory layout somewhere along the way to move the plexmediaserver library files (e.g. "libpython27.so") into a lib subdirectory, e.g.:
/usr/local/share/plexmediaserver/lib/ or /usr/local/etc/rc.d/plexmediaserver_plexpass/lib/
The jail startup script does not set the LD_LIBRARY_PATH to look there. One solution was "move everything from lib/* to main directory, but this will break on the next PMS_Updater.sh run.
The "correct" fix is to edit: (inside iocage/jail) "/usr/local/etc/rc.d/plexmediaserver" to set LD_LIBRARY_PATH environment variable to be "${SCRIPTPATH}/lib" when it starts Plex, e.g.:
Code:
....
        export HOME="${plexmediaserver_support_path}/Plex Media Server"
        export PYTHONHOME="/usr/local/share/plexmediaserver/Resources/Python"
        export SCRIPTPATH="/usr/local/share/plexmediaserver"
        export LD_LIBRARY_PATH="${SCRIPTPATH}/lib"
        export PLEX_MEDIA_SERVER_HOME="${SCRIPTPATH}"
        export PLEX_MEDIA_SERVER_MAX_PLUGIN_PROCS=${plexmediaserver_maxplugins}
....


Hopefully this helps someone (or even *me* if I break things again :cool:)
Thank you. This fixed my problem.
 

paradoxiom

Patron
Joined
Jun 16, 2015
Messages
239
I came here with this problem but xport LD_LIBRARY_PATH="${SCRIPTPATH}/lib" is already set. Any ideas?
 

ThreeDee

Guru
Joined
Jun 13, 2013
Messages
698
@paradoxiom

I'm in the same boat here. This is already set on mine but the server still doesn't seem to find my data. Did you resolve your issue?
not finding your data and not being able to access settings in Plex are 2 different issues ..
 

Sethbest

Dabbler
Joined
Oct 4, 2014
Messages
28
not finding your data and not being able to access settings in Plex are 2 different issues ..
Data = meta-data and user sharing settings, library info and what-not.

Since my setup is working in that it can play media, but it's lost its configuration this seemed similar enough to explore, but maybe not
 
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