The Tool Desk
Outbyte Driver Updater FREEScan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteDriver Scan →Outbyte PC Repair FREEClear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsFree Scan →To find out whether a NAS backup job is causing Plex buffering, compare the exact playback and job times, watch NAS CPU, disk, and network activity, then pause or reschedule one suspected job and repeat the same playback. A job that overlaps buffering is only a suspect: Plex also points to inadequate network capacity and slow transcoding as common causes, so confirm the connection before blaming a backup.
What to record before troubleshooting
Use a short timeline rather than relying on the fact that buffering and backups happen around the same time. For each test, record:
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- When buffering starts and stops.
- Which backup or other scheduled task is running, including its start and end times.
- Whether playback is local or remote, and whether Plex is using Direct Play, Direct Stream, or transcoding.
- NAS CPU, disk, and network activity during playback and the backup run.
For a useful comparison, replay the same file on the same client, using the same playback quality and network path where practical. Different titles, requested quality settings, and playback modes can put different demands on the server and network. Plex identifies two broad causes of buffering: the network connection cannot support the requested stream, or the server cannot transcode it fast enough. Plex’s buffering troubleshooting guidance explains both.
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1Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problems2Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minute3Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsCheck which scheduled tasks overlap playback
List the tasks that run during the buffering window, not just the job you suspect. Depending on your NAS and setup, candidates might include NAS backup or sync jobs, cloud transfers, and other heavy scheduled tasks. Include Plex’s own maintenance window: library updates, metadata refreshes, database work, and thumbnail generation may also contribute to activity. Plex describes video preview thumbnail generation as intensive. Plex’s scheduled-tasks documentation describes its maintenance tasks, and its library guidance covers library operations.
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Record only tasks that actually overlap the event. The NAS model, software version, backup product, Plex server, client, and local or remote playback all affect which resource or menu matters; labels on another NAS platform may differ from Synology DSM.
Watch NAS activity while Plex buffers
On Synology DSM
Open Resource Monitor and inspect its performance and Task Manager views during a comparable playback attempt. Synology’s Hyper Backup troubleshooting guidance recommends checking CPU utilization and, when it is extremely high, using Task Manager’s Service or Processes tabs to identify a high-CPU service or package. Its guidance also recommends scheduling Hyper Backup during off-peak hours. See Synology’s Hyper Backup troubleshooting article.
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On other NAS systems
Use the platform’s equivalent resource monitor and job history; Synology’s labels and steps should not be assumed to apply to QNAP, TrueNAS, Unraid, or every DSM version. Note CPU load, disk activity or utilization, and network activity around the buffering time. If the interface shows per-process disk or network use, record the relevant process and its time as well. No single metric proves that a backup caused the stall: CPU is especially relevant when Plex is transcoding, while backup reads and writes can also compete for disk access, and remote backups can use network capacity.
Check Plex’s playback and transcode evidence
If Plex is transcoding, inspect its server log for the playback attempt. Plex’s procedure is to enable Verbose logging temporarily, find the relevant Plex Media Server.log, and search for speed =>. Turn Verbose logging off after collecting the needed evidence. Plex describes the values this way:
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- 1.0: transcoding at real time.
- Above 1.0: fast enough to transcode in real time.
- Below 1.0: slower than real time.
Plex says an average around 1.3 or greater is sufficient for the attempted transcode. These are Plex’s diagnostic interpretations of its log output, not universal performance guarantees. NAS processors can be limited, and transcoding can be CPU-intensive. Check whether the client’s requested quality requires transcoding; Plex’s guidance notes that the selected Streaming Quality affects the requested stream. Plex’s transcoder troubleshooting page describes the log check, while its server requirements information covers transcoding requirements.
If the stream is Direct Play and the log does not indicate a slow transcode, network or storage contention may be more plausible, but that observation alone does not establish the cause. Also consider the client: Plex notes that some TV and console clients can encounter memory-related playback limits. Plex’s buffering guidance discusses client, network, and transcoding checks.
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Test one backup job at a time
- Choose one likely task. Start with a job whose run coincides with the buffering window and whose activity matches the constrained resource—for example, CPU pressure during transcoding or network use during remote playback.
- Pause it briefly or move its schedule. Avoid interrupting a job in a way that risks an incomplete backup or violates retention requirements. If uncertain, reschedule rather than stop it.
- Repeat the same playback conditions. Use the same file, client, quality, and network path as closely as possible, and record the same resource readings.
- Restore the job and verify it completes. If the symptom changed, repeat the comparison when practical; then test another candidate separately.
If buffering repeatedly disappears when one job is paused and returns when that job runs again, that is stronger evidence it contributes. If the symptom does not change, overlap alone does not establish the job as the cause. This controlled comparison is a troubleshooting method, not a guarantee that one run proves causation.
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| What you observe | What it suggests | Next step |
|---|---|---|
| CPU rises with a backup while Plex is transcoding, and transcode speed falls below real time. | CPU contention from the backup is plausible, but still needs confirmation. | Repeat the playback with that one job paused or rescheduled; compare the log speed and CPU activity. |
| Disk activity increases while playback stalls, without strong CPU pressure. | Storage contention is a candidate. | Check the NAS’s own storage diagnostics and compare disk activity during a controlled pause test. No vendor-neutral disk test procedure is established here. |
| Network use or transfer rate appears to be the limiting factor. | The backup may be competing for network capacity, or the playback path itself may be insufficient. | Check the network path and requested playback quality. Plex identifies inadequate network support as a broad buffering cause. |
| Buffering continues with backup jobs paused. | The backup hypothesis is weaker; other causes remain. | Check Plex transcode speed, client quality or device limits, Plex maintenance, and other scheduled applications. |
After identifying a contributing job
Move the job outside the playback window and verify that it completes successfully under its normal retention requirements. Synology recommends off-peak scheduling for Hyper Backup; it also notes that splitting tasks containing many shared folders and files can be considered. If the evidence points to bandwidth limits, inspect any network traffic-control rules that restrict backup throughput. Do not raise those limits as a first diagnostic step: doing so can increase contention rather than resolve it.
Quick Recap
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