I have contacted GOG tech support with no luck. Reinstalled the game, C++, and DirectX. Tried to verify/repair, run as administrator, and close all background programs. No mods installed. I can't be the first person that this has happened to? Anybody know how to get past this?

edit: this is for X-Wing Alliance btw

Is it installed in Program Files?
Old games can be really picky even with admin access.

I tried moving the install to Program Files as well as Program Files (x86), to no avail.

I'm on Windows 11.

You have to have the game outside either folder.

I've attempted moving all of GOG Galaxy including the game folder directly onto the C drive instead of any of the Program Files folders. Still get the same issue. Tech support has been rather useless in the matter either asking me to do things I have already tried such as reinstalling or repairing or expecting me to know how to mount artificial CD drives in my system or other things that I'd rather not try for fear of screwing up far more than a single game.

I honestly might just roll the dice and try the Steam version. Something seems to have happened with Windows 11 that GOG has yet to detect or try to rectify. Honestly, its their job as a company selling game titles to do the leg work to make sure they are working on common systems instead of just putting the onus on the person who paid money for one of their products.

I like GOG as a concept and have had few issues. But their tech support leaves much to be desired.

Try using XWA Hacker which has an option to disable CD detection. For some reason I cannot post links but if you search for XWA Hacker you will find the options to either download as an app, or a more traditional version.

I'm getting this too. If anyone has a confirmed fix I'd really like to know.

Getting this problem with XvT. Initially worked, now asks for CD every time...

I have the same issue on windows 11.

I found a workaround that might help. Double-click on XWINGALLIANCE.EXE in the /Star Wars - X-Wing Alliance folder from windows explorer got me into the game. Alliance.EXE is a dud. Running Windows 11. Good luck.

That SORT of worked. I hear the game start but the screen is black.

Is there a start-to-finish guide for windows 11 GoG installations of XWA floating around somewhere? Between the CD issue and wanting a modern resolution (XWA Hacker?) and getting the XWAU patch going I'm not sure what to do first and in what order. That may be part of my issue.

GoG Support had a useful answer--if you go to your library on the web, OUTSIDE of the Galaxy tool, there is an option to download an offline installer, which worked perfectly!

https://www.gog.com/en/account

This worked for me as well on windows 11.

It only happens when starting the game from GOG.

It does work correct if you go to the XWA folder:

E:\GOGGames\Star Wars - X-Wing Alliance (for example)

And instead of starting the "Alliance.exe" file (which gog is launching as this is the launcher), instead run the XWINGALLIANCE.exe file.