I downloaded and installed the latest version 2.8.0.10 from GOG. Installed, but it crashes during startup.

The error log shows:

Message: There is an error in XML document (0, 0).
InnerException: System.Xml.XmlException: Root element is missing.
at System.Xml.XmlTextReaderImpl.Throw(Exception e)
at System.Xml.XmlTextReaderImpl.ParseDocumentContent()
at System.Xml.XmlTextReaderImpl.Read()
at System.Xml.XmlTextReader.Read()
at System.Xml.XmlReader.MoveToContent()
at Microsoft.Xml.Serialization.GeneratedAssembly.XmlSerializationReaderStartupPreferences.Read3_StartupPreference s()
Stack Trace: at System.Xml.Serialization.XmlSerializer.Deserialize(XmlReader xmlReader, String encodingStyle, XmlDeserializationEvents events)
at System.Xml.Serialization.XmlSerializer.Deserialize(Stream stream)
at StardewValley.StartupPreferences.loadPreferences() in C:\Users\tomc\Documents\Visual Studio 2010\Projects\Stardew.XNA\Farmer\Farmer\StartupPreferences.cs:line 86
at StardewValley.Menus.TitleMenu..ctor() in C:\Users\tomc\Documents\Visual Studio 2010\Projects\Stardew.XNA\Farmer\Farmer\Menus\TitleMenu.cs:line 129
at StardewValley.Game1.UpdateTitleScreen(GameTime time) in C:\Users\tomc\Documents\Visual Studio 2010\Projects\Stardew.XNA\Farmer\Farmer\Game1.cs:line 2227
at StardewValley.Game1.Update(GameTime gameTime) in C:\Users\tomc\Documents\Visual Studio 2010\Projects\Stardew.XNA\Farmer\Farmer\Game1.cs:line 1612
at Microsoft.Xna.Framework.Game.Tick()
at Microsoft.Xna.Framework.Game.HostIdle(Object sender, EventArgs e)
at Microsoft.Xna.Framework.GameHost.OnIdle()
at Microsoft.Xna.Framework.WindowsGameHost.RunOneFrame()
at Microsoft.Xna.Framework.WindowsGameHost.ApplicationIdle(Object sender, EventArgs e)
at System.Windows.Forms.Application.ThreadContext.System.Windows.Forms.UnsafeNativeMethods.IMsoComponent.FDoIdle( Int32 grfidlef)
at System.Windows.Forms.Application.ComponentManager.System.Windows.Forms.UnsafeNativeMethods.IMsoComponentManage r.FPushMessageLoop(IntPtr dwComponentID, Int32 reason, Int32 pvLoopData)
at System.Windows.Forms.Application.ThreadContext.RunMessageLoopInner(Int32 reason, ApplicationContext context)
at System.Windows.Forms.Application.ThreadContext.RunMessageLoop(Int32 reason, ApplicationContext context)
at System.Windows.Forms.Application.Run(Form mainForm)
at Microsoft.Xna.Framework.WindowsGameHost.Run()
at Microsoft.Xna.Framework.Game.RunGame(Boolean useBlockingRun)
at StardewValley.Program.Main(String[] args) in C:\Users\tomc\Documents\Visual Studio 2010\Projects\Stardew.XNA\Farmer\Farmer\Program.cs:line 35



I installed the xnafx40_redist.msi XNA library as suggested from other posts. Still crashes with the same error.

I have no mods.

Help please.

FWIW I solved the issue. I had previously had an older version of Stardew Valley installed, and kept the savegames from it when I uninstalled. Now that I installed the newer version, the game was getting confused about the file startup_preferences from the older version that was present in the %appdata%\Stardew Valley folder together with the older savegames. I deleted the startup_preferences file and let the game recreate it, That got rid of the error.