The game asks for its CD while the disc is there, because some file failed to open

Symptoms

The game shows "Please insert the CD-ROM", or the same message in another language. The disc's files are mounted.

Cause

Many games of the CD era wrap every file open in one routine. On any failure, that routine asks for the CD. The open can fail for many reasons, such as a language folder the disc does not have, a path built from a bad ini value or a wrong drive label (observed in POD: the disc had no English text folder).

Evidence

WINEDEBUG=+file lists every open with its result. The last failed open before the message is the cause.

What to do

Trace the file opens and fix the first one that fails. Check the drive too. Many games take the first drive where GetDriveTypeA is 5 (CD-ROM) and the volume label matches. In Wine, map the disc's folder as a CD-ROM drive with that label (winecfg, Drives, Advanced).