Palace striker Alan Lee had an early shot saved and Darren Ambrose had a left wing inswinging corner saved by Preston goalkeeper Andy Lonergan after nine minutes.
Preston left-winger Ross Wallace found Neill Collins with a left-foot right-wing corner, but Palace goalkeeper Julian Speroni saved his effort after 17 minutes.
Chris Brown headed against the bar after 18 minutes after Wallace's right-wing corner was flicked on by Billy Jones.
After half an hour Speroni saved a right-wing Wallace corner and did likewise from a near-post Wallace shot.
Nathaniel Clyne had a shot saved and then Jose Fonte was booked for a foul on Brown after 34 minutes.
Wallace netted direct from the 25-yard free-kick curled left-footed into the top left corner of the net to open the scoring after 35 minutes.
Jones had a shot saved from an outswinging left-wing Wallace corner after 36 minutes.
Lee found Ambrose and he equalised with a left-foot volley from 20 yards into the far top left after 37 minutes.
Neil Danns had a shot saved from a Danny Butterfield cross three minutes later.
Ambrose had another shot saved after 54 minutes and Ryan Smith replaced Victor Moses after 56 minutes, before Veliche Shumulikoski and Jon Parkin replaced Darren Carter and Brown on 59 minutes.
Butterfield's cross was blocked after 61 minutes and two minutes later Parkin's shot from Paul Parry's cross was saved.
Chris Sedgwick replaced Parry after 66 minutes, Stern John and Lee Hills replaced Lee and Clyne after 73 minutes.
Claude Davis fouled Neil Mellor and was booked after 78 minutes, before Wallace's free-kick was saved.
Ambrose's shot after 79 minutes and Wallace's crosses were saved, before Lonergan saved from John in the final minute to ensure the game ended all-square.