Getting the error message - "Cannot Start the application - root element is missing" while trying to launch SV Designer

Environment

SV Designer(all versions)

Situation

While trying to launch SV Designer it fails with the error message "Cannot Start the application - root element is missing"

Reviewing the designer logs shows an error like the following;

ERROR [1] VirtualServiceDesignerMain Run:184  Cannot start application - Root element is missing.
System.Xml.XmlException: Root element is missing.
   at System.Xml.XmlTextReaderImpl.Throw(Exception e)
   at System.Xml.XmlTextReaderImpl.ParseDocumentContent()
   at HP.SV.Model.Common.Xml.TransformingXmlReader.Read() in Y:\SV5.7.0.1626-S-9957b5c1\net\Model\Common\Xml\TransformingXmlReader.cs:line 208
   at System.Xml.XmlLoader.Load(XmlDocument doc, XmlReader reader, Boolean preserveWhitespace)
   at System.Xml.XmlDocument.Load(XmlReader reader)
   at HP.SV.Designer.StartVirtualServiceDesignerCommand.LogAgentsWithDiscardedPassword(DesignerCore designerCore) in Y:\SV5.7.0.1626-S-9957b5c1\net\Designer\VirtualServiceDesigner\StartVirtualServiceDesignerCommand.cs:line 172
   at HP.SV.Designer.Project.DesignerCore.SetupEventsAfterWorkBenchLoad() in Y:\SV5.7.0.1626-S-9957b5c1\net\Designer\DesignerCore\Project\DesignerCore.cs:line 834
   at HP.SV.Designer.Project.DesignerCore.<Initialize>b__537_0(Object sender, EventArgs e) in Y:\SV5.7.0.1626-S-9957b5c1\net\Designer\DesignerCore\Project\DesignerCore.cs:line 802
   at System.EventHandler.Invoke(Object sender, EventArgs e)
   at ICSharpCode.SharpDevelop.Gui.WorkbenchSingleton.InitializeWorkbench(IWorkbench workbench, IWorkbenchLayout layout)
   at ICSharpCode.SharpDevelop.Sda.CallHelper.RunWorkbenchInternal(Object settings)
   at ICSharpCode.SharpDevelop.Sda.SharpDevelopHost.RunWorkbench(WorkbenchSettings settings)
   at HP.SV.VirtualServiceDesigner.VirtualServiceDesignerMain.RunApplication(Boolean recreateDatabase) in Y:\SV5.7.0.1626-S-9957b5c1\net\Designer\VirtualServiceDesignerMain\VirtualServiceDesignerMain.cs:line 422
   at HP.SV.VirtualServiceDesigner.VirtualServiceDesignerMain.Run() in Y:\SV5.7.0.1626-S-9957b5c1\net\Designer\VirtualServiceDesignerMain\VirtualServiceDesignerMain.cs:line 184

Cause

The configurations.xml file, DesignerSharedConfiguration.xml file or userConfiguration.config file may be empty or may have some elements missing.

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