Bugged savegame, error "Root element is missing"

[Effixel]

Hi,

I got this error when sarting the game this evening. I've played several sessions today without any problem, but now for some reason the game cannot read the save file, and I've got this error "Root element is missing" in the log file (along with many other exceptions).
For the history, when I started the game earlier, it froze while launching, I had to restart Steam, and then my computer. Back to Steam I had to reinstall the game (although it took 5 seconds so I suppose only a file was missing or something), and then I got the error.

I play vanilla without extensions.

I could start a new game, but this one was going fine and I'd like to continue it. So if you have an idea to help me out I'd be grateful.

RimWorld 1.3.3076 rev689
Exception getting game version of Worst Of All (Permadeath).rws: System.Xml.XmlException: Root element is missing.
  at System.Xml.XmlTextReaderImpl.Throw (System.Exception e) [0x00027] in <0f9699188f0c414ea6fb5557f5c16d15>:0 
  at System.Xml.XmlTextReaderImpl.ThrowWithoutLineInfo (System.String res) [0x00017] in <0f9699188f0c414ea6fb5557f5c16d15>:0 
  at System.Xml.XmlTextReaderImpl.ParseDocumentContent () [0x0035d] in <0f9699188f0c414ea6fb5557f5c16d15>:0 
  at System.Xml.XmlTextReaderImpl.Read () [0x0008c] in <0f9699188f0c414ea6fb5557f5c16d15>:0 
  at System.Xml.XmlTextReader.Read () [0x00000] in <0f9699188f0c414ea6fb5557f5c16d15>:0 
  at Verse.ScribeMetaHeaderUtility.ReadToNextElement (System.Xml.XmlTextReader textReader) [0x00000] in <f429400e900f434099af71800afbc07e>:0 
  at Verse.ScribeMetaHeaderUtility.ReadToMetaElement (System.Xml.XmlTextReader textReader) [0x00000] in <f429400e900f434099af71800afbc07e>:0 
  at Verse.ScribeMetaHeaderUtility.GameVersionOf (System.IO.FileInfo file) [0x00022] in <f429400e900f434099af71800afbc07e>:0  
(Filename: C:\buildslave\unity\build\Runtime/Export/Debug/Debug.bindings.h Line: 39)

[ᖇIᑎ]

Check your saves folder %appdata%\..\LocalLow\Ludeon Studios\RimWorld by Ludeon Studios\Saves
There should be a save file called Worst Of All (Permadeath).rws.old
I suggest making a copy of it and then renaming it to delete the .old extension, load it up in game and see if it works.

[Effixel]

I've tried what you suggested, but sadly with no result.

https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2564185596
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2564181709

I don't really know what happened, because the game crashed at launch, not while loading the map, and I actually had to restart Steam, not the game. Also several other softwares would not launch on my computer, so it seems that the game crash was a symptom of a broader problem. Still, I can't explain why it corrupted my save files on this game specifically.
I also found an older save from the beginning of my game, from before the update, and this one is still working (but it is too far back in time so I do not want to start again with this one ^^).
Anyway, unless someone knows how to fix a corrupted savefile I'll have to abandon this game and start a new one.

[Effixel]

Update: I checked the corrupted savefiles, it turns out that the lines are there, but they are... empty. So I guess I will never see my colony again. Too bad. Time for a new adventure!