# ValueError: file does not start with a file id tag

**URL:** <https://mne.discourse.group/t/valueerror-file-does-not-start-with-a-file-id-tag/4787>\
**Category:** Support & Discussions\
**Tags:** preprocessing\
**Created:** [April 26, 2022, 6:05am UTC](https://mne.discourse.group/t/valueerror-file-does-not-start-with-a-file-id-tag/4787 "2022-04-26T06:05:19Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![PhD-GOAT](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/free1/user_avatar/mne.discourse.group/phd-goat/32/1326_2.png) [@PhD-GOAT](https://mne.discourse.group/u/PhD-GOAT)\
**Post date:** [April 26, 2022, 6:05am UTC](https://mne.discourse.group/t/valueerror-file-does-not-start-with-a-file-id-tag/4787/1 "2022-04-26T06:05:19Z")

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- MNE version: 1.0.2
- operating system: Windows 10

`raw = mne.io.read_raw_fif('C:/Users/PSG.edf')`

I wonder if the fif read function works in a normal file.

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**Author:** ![richard](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/free1/user_avatar/mne.discourse.group/richard/32/15_2.png) [@richard](https://mne.discourse.group/u/richard)\
**Post date:** [April 26, 2022, 7:40am UTC](https://mne.discourse.group/t/valueerror-file-does-not-start-with-a-file-id-tag/4787/2 "2022-04-26T07:40:33Z")

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It’s an EDF file, so you cannot use the FIFF reader.

I suggest you simply use `mne.io.read_raw()` all the time, as it automatically selects the correct reader based in the file name.

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**Author:** ![PhD-GOAT](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/free1/user_avatar/mne.discourse.group/phd-goat/32/1326_2.png) [@PhD-GOAT](https://mne.discourse.group/u/PhD-GOAT)\
**Post date:** [April 26, 2022, 8:05am UTC](https://mne.discourse.group/t/valueerror-file-does-not-start-with-a-file-id-tag/4787/3 "2022-04-26T08:05:33Z")

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thx @richard

I think I understand Mne somewhat now. Edf is edf!

The reason why I ask this question is that there are too many examples of fif.

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**Author:** ![balandongiv](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/free1/user_avatar/mne.discourse.group/balandongiv/32/104_2.png) [@balandongiv](https://mne.discourse.group/u/balandongiv)\
**Post date:** [April 26, 2022, 9:38am UTC](https://mne.discourse.group/t/valueerror-file-does-not-start-with-a-file-id-tag/4787/4 "2022-04-26T09:38:25Z")

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List of file and corresponding function to read them [link](https://mne.tools/stable/reading_raw_data.html)