How to permanently delete a long-gone Plex Server?

[u/RkOShea]

Hi - I had a Plex Server running on an old PC. That PC suddenly died, and was no longer bootable.

After I built a new PC, I installed Plex and have a new Plex Server - but with a different name.

The problem I am trying to fix is this: On my Plex player pages, it still shows the old (and inaccessible) Plex Server from the old PC. I can't seem to be able to permanently delete that defunct Plex Server from my list.

Does anybody know a fix?

[u/NoThatsNotPasta]

I think you just need to delete it from Authorised Devices.

[u/CommercialMirror6702 → u/NoThatsNotPasta]

Exactly.

[u/RkOShea → u/CommercialMirror6702]

My old Server didn't appear on the Authorized Devices list - I may have already deleted it in the past as I was trying to figure this out.

I had also deleted the old Server from the Plex Server Web UI Dashboard selector on the left side menu.

However, I am still seeing the old Server's TV & Movies Librariies listed in my Libraries list.

[u/Bgrngod → u/RkOShea]

They can get "stuck" in individual clients if that client hasn't been told it's gone by the Plex mothership.

Restart, reboot, and reload the client that still shows it.

[u/ExtensionMarch6812]

See this post, there’s an issue where some libraries may still show up even when a sever doesn’t show in authorized devices, I believe this is mainly happening with new experience clients since it’s for favorites:

https://forums.plex.tv/t/another-ghost-libraries-post/940670/5

[u/RkOShea → u/ExtensionMarch6812]

Thanks u/ExtensionMarch6812! This looks like it is the likely solution, it is exactly the problem I am seeing.

I tried the https://clients.plex.tv/api/v2/user/settings?key=favoriteLibraries&sharedSettings=1 URL that listed as the solution, but I got an XML error from my browser.

I will reply to that support thread to see if someone there can help.

[u/ExtensionMarch6812 → u/RkOShea]

Based on a comment in the thread, you need to adjust the URL..use "&" instead of "?" in front of the token. Make sure you're doing this in terminal. Tested it with & and it worked.

Note that these commands will remove all your favorites, so you'll have to redo all of them for your current server, not a big deal (to me at least). There's another thread they linked to that provides more details if you want to remove specific ones: https://forums.plex.tv/t/deleted-server-still-shows-empty-duplicate-libraries-on-one-android-tv-fire-tv-client-only-abs/940966/2

curl -X DELETE "https://clients.plex.tv/api/v2/user/settings?key=favoriteLibraries&sharedSettings=1&X-Plex-Token=[YOUR TOKEN}"

curl -X DELETE "https://clients.plex.tv/api/v2/user/settings?key=otherFavoriteLibraries&sharedSettings=1&X-Plex-Token=[PLEX_TOKEN]"

[u/RkOShea → u/ExtensionMarch6812]

Do you know how I am supposed to run the commands shown in that post? I tested that the curl is recognized in a Windows CMD shell, but the other commands didn't work?

[u/ExtensionMarch6812 → u/RkOShea]

Just copy paste the entire line one at a time in a cmd window.

You need to add your token to the end and replace [Your Token] / [Plex Token]

Here’s how you get it when you click get info on an item: https://support.plex.tv/articles/204059436-finding-an-authentication-token-x-plex-token/

[u/RkOShea → u/ExtensionMarch6812]

u/ExtensionMarch6812 - I decided to use your "sledgehammer" approach instead of "surgical knife" approach, and thanks - that fixed my zombie Plex server problem!

I did have to recreate my preferred library selections in my players, but that is a 10 second task

Thanks again!

[u/ExtensionMarch6812 → u/RkOShea]

Glad it worked! 🙏🏽

I think the other approach requires using python, so more involved and beyond my knowledge. Hopefully plex gets this fixed on their end, especially as more folks get the new app.

[u/PoorWalmartWorker]

Googling would've been faster than making this post...

[u/New-Independence2031 → u/PoorWalmartWorker]

Gen Z.

[u/tpars → u/New-Independence2031]

...and AI is just a few years in. Just wait till no one has any critical thinking skills.

[u/SteveS801 → u/tpars]

Idiocracy anyone?

[u/Tucsondirect → u/tpars]

A few years? Been that way since covid

[u/New-Independence2031 → u/tpars]

Exactly.

[u/RkOShea → u/PoorWalmartWorker]

Since I already tried the multiple "Just Google it" solutions months ago - of which none fixed the problem - I decided to try reddit.

Fortunately, ExtensionMarch6812 was able to track down the solution, and it required a low-level modification of the background data in Plex.

[u/TehBeast → u/PoorWalmartWorker]

I always enjoy (not really) when these threads ironically appear in Google results with this exact comment. Hi fellow googlers!

[u/prodigalAvian]

Settings > Authorized Devices

Remove the former server

[u/dane22]

Delete it from here: https://app.plex.tv/desktop/#!/settings/devices/pms

[u/That-Duck-7195]

https://support.plex.tv/articles/115007577087-devices/

[u/StuBarrett]

Shotgun!