Problem: Configuration system failed to initialize

I got this error today and I was shocked… The InnerException was saying something like this

Only one <configSections> element allowed per config file and if present must be the first child of the root <configuration> element.

Well I had ONLY 1 configSections element in my App.config…. After loads of hair pulling I discovered its because the <configSections> element has to be defined as the first element in the App.config. Well thanks for the very useful exception message!

I hope this helps whoever encounters the same error…

13 thoughts on “Problem: Configuration system failed to initialize”

…must be the first child of the root element…

I would have thought that was self explanatory, no?

It says exactly what the problem is. Come on Marlon. 😦

Your comment seems to be sarcastic with regard to the usefulness of the exception message, but it tells you exactly what you need to know, does it not?

Hi, It’sAccounting Essay help me! Good luck!

Hi, it’s cool!!

Can someone state where this app.config is? I don’t have one 🙂 or 😦

I am dealing w/ Silverlight not WPF and I get this ridiculous error right after installing VS2010 (“final”) and SL4 tools for VS2010, for each of the app.xaml, page.xaml??

Thanks!

Geoist says:

May 3, 2010 at 10:26 pm

You have to create an app.config for your application / service. Right click in your solution tree > Add > New Item > Application Configuration File.

Also, search MSDN

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