Scouring the Plex subreddit and official forums, the sentiment around version 09170 full is clear:
If you need version 0.9.17.0 for legacy hardware, your best options include: plex media server version 09170 full
Another user, TechHopper :
While not as feature-rich as modern versions, 0.9.17.0 introduced several important changes, particularly to the transcoding backend. Users and developers noted that Plex "changed the way they do things in multiple ways" when moving from 0.9.16 to 0.9.17.2, including significant modifications to the transcoder architecture. These changes improved performance and stability, though they also broke compatibility with some third-party tools like the Plex Remote Transcoder (PRT) until updates could be made. Scouring the Plex subreddit and official forums, the
Version 0.9.17.0 was built before the widespread adoption of modern, high-efficiency video formats like 4K HEVC (H.265) or AV1. If you try to feed modern 4K video files into an older server, it will not know how to handle them efficiently, resulting in massive CPU spikes, endless buffering, or outright playback failure. Best Practices for Deploying Legacy Plex Software Version 0
Remote media and multiple servers