One of my shares went invisible to my Plex server on Nvidia Shield

You're using an Nvidia Shield TV with Plex Media Server, and one of your network shares (e.g., from a NAS or PC) suddenly becomes invisible or inaccessible within Plex. Other shares may still appear and work normally, making the issue seem isolated to a specific folder or share.

This can be caused by a variety of factors, including broken network mounts, permission changes, network issues, or Plex database corruption.

Step-by-Step Troubleshooting

1. Confirm the Share Is Still Accessible Outside Plex

Before focusing on Plex, check whether the Nvidia Shield can still see and access the missing share:

Go to Settings > Storage or use a file manager (e.g., X-plore or Solid Explorer).

Try navigating to the share manually.

If the share doesn’t appear or won’t open, the problem is at the system or network level, not Plex.

Fix:Re-add the share using Settings > Storage > Network Storage. If necessary, remove and remount the network share.

2. Check Mount Permissions and Credentials

Sometimes network credentials are updated or dropped, especially after a restart or router update.

Go to Settings > Storage & reset > Network Storage.

Select the storage device or server and verify the login credentials.

If prompted, re-enter the correct username/password.

Make sure "Remember credentials" is enabled.

Note: Ensure the Nvidia Shield and the share host (e.g., NAS or PC) are on the same network/subnet.

3. Restart the Shield and Plex Server

A quick restart can fix temporary issues:

Restart the Nvidia Shield (hold the power button > Restart).

Open the Plex app and go to Settings > Server > Restart Plex Media Server.

Sometimes the Plex server fails to remount network shares after a reboot until manually restarted.

4. Rescan or Re-add the Library in Plex

If the share is mounted but the content is missing in Plex:

Open Plex > Settings > Manage Libraries.

Find the affected library and choose Scan Library Files.

If that doesn’t work, remove the library and recreate it, pointing to the same folder path.

Sometimes Plex loses track of a library if the underlying path changes slightly (e.g., IP address vs. hostname).

5. Use Static IPs and Direct Paths

Network shares based on hostnames (e.g., \\NAS-Device\Movies) may break if the hostname changes or isn’t resolved properly.

Fix:

Map your network share using a static IP address:

Update the library path in Plex to match.

6. Check File Permissions on the Share

If the share is visible but empty or partially missing:

Log into the device hosting the share (e.g., a NAS or PC).

Verify that the shared folder and its contents have read access for the user account used by the Shield.

On a NAS, check SMB permissions.

On Windows, right-click the folder > Properties > Sharing > Permissions.

Final Suggestions

Keep the Shield OS and Plex Media Server updated.

Avoid Wi-Fi if possible—use wired Ethernet for stable access.

Use third-party file managers to test mounts outside Plex.

Consider moving Plex to a more robust host if network share handling becomes unreliable.