Troubleshooting the "Plex Media Scanner has Stopped Working" Error on Windows 10

If you use Plex Media Server on your Windows 10 computer, you may have encountered an error message saying "Plex Media Scanner has stopped working." This error can be frustrating, as it can prevent you from adding new content to your Plex library or updating existing content. In this article, we'll explore some possible causes of this error and provide some steps you can try to fix it.

One possible cause of the "Plex Media Scanner has stopped working" error is that the Plex Media Server service is not running. To check if the service is running, follow these steps:

1. Press the Windows key + R to open the Run dialogue box.
2. Type "services.msc" and press Enter.
3. Scroll down the list of services and look for "Plex Media Server."
4. If the service is not running, right-click on it and select "Start."

If the service was not running, starting it should resolve the issue. If the service was already running, there may be another issue causing the error.

Another possible cause of the "Plex Media Scanner has stopped working" error is that the Plex Media Server database is corrupt. To fix this issue, you can try repairing the database by following these steps:

1. Close the Plex Media Server application.
2. Press the Windows key + R to open the Run dialogue box.
3. Type "cmd" and press Enter to open the command prompt.
4. Type "cd " (including the space after "cd") and then drag the Plex Media Server folder from its location on your computer into the command prompt window. This will automatically enter the path to the Plex Media Server folder.
5. Press Enter to navigate to the Plex Media Server folder.
6. Type "plexmediaserver.exe /repair" and press Enter.

This will repair the Plex Media Server database and may fix the "Plex Media Scanner has stopped working" error.

If neither of these solutions resolves the issue, you may need to try more advanced troubleshooting steps. For example, you could try reinstalling the Plex Media Server application, or you could try resetting the Plex Media Server application data by deleting the "Plex Media Server" folder in the "Roaming" folder in your user profile directory.

In summary, if you're experiencing the "Plex Media Scanner has stopped working" error on your Windows 10 computer, you can try starting the Plex Media Server service, repairing the Plex Media Server database, or resetting the Plex Media Server application data. If these solutions don't work, you may need to seek further assistance from the Plex support team or from an experienced IT professional.