State the symptom before selecting a reset
When a saved login or remote-control target misbehaves, record the exact first failure. A stale server authorization, a broken custom setting and an inaccessible media file are different cases. Keep the installed build and actual server user identified privately.
Before removing anything, inventory local downloads and any offline activity that still needs to reach the server. A configuration directory can contain more than a few preference toggles. Keep valuable files protected independently rather than assuming the word reset describes a harmless visual refresh.
Use the documented narrow account route
MPV Shim’s configuration guide suggests removing a misbehaving server in Settings, Servers and signing in again. It separately warns that deleting the whole configuration also removes settings, default-located downloads and unsent offline state. Read that scope before choosing the broader operation.
Preserve the correct server endpoint and the owner’s authorized login process. A targeted re-login still needs the right account and reachable address. Do not replace a user’s credentials with an administrator’s merely to make every library visible during the test.
Protect the state needed for recovery
Keep a recoverable configuration copy where appropriate and identify any custom download location in the actual setup. Record which local items are important and whether their server-side history is current. Do not claim a backup includes them merely because a preference file was copied.
If offline activity must be synchronized, establish the supported connection and verify that result before a destructive reset. A title displayed as watched on the local client is different evidence from the intended state appearing on the server under the same user.
Retest the original case before broadening the change
After the chosen targeted action, reopen one known authorized item and repeat the original remote-control or login test. Keep the source, user and settings unchanged where possible. If the result remains, preserve that evidence instead of repeatedly clearing increasingly broad folders.
The expected outcome is a justified reset scope with known recovery consequences. It does not restore deleted offline files, guarantee every old configuration is compatible or establish that an account has been independently tested. Keep the retained state and actual post-change result in private support notes.
Questions answered
Is the whole configuration folder necessarily disposable?
No. The project documents settings, default-located downloads and unsent offline state among the consequences of a full reset.
What is the narrower documented action for a misbehaving server login?
Inspect the server entry in Settings, Servers and use the documented remove-and-sign-in route when appropriate, preserving the correct account details.
Sources & further reading
Official references for the subjects discussed. Service terms and device software can change.