Arduino development software stalls

Freshly installed, double click on application, it starts, opens window then becomes unresponsive. I am running Vista Home Premium (2007) with service pack 2

Did you follow the instruction on this page?

No, not originally. But go figure, open source software that stalls because a driver isn't installed. Joys of open source.

So, I went to the web site and followed the instructions. Started the application and viola. It stalls/hangs when I click tools menu.

In fact, what it did was the tools menu header stayed selected for about 3 minutes, then the application drew the canvas backdrop for the menu but no items, stayed like that for 5 minutes then the application came back.

I had a mega connected. I didn't bother trying with my Blackwidow.

Why does it take so long to open a file?

Why does it take so long to open a file?

A file? You described a problem with the Tools menu. Is opening a file slow or opening the Tools menu?

Both. Files eventually open. I was able to successfully compile and run the Blink example in the end. But the files take minutes to open.

The Tools menu is never drawn. If I click it the application hangs for about 6-8 minutes.

Also there appeared error messages about contention on the usb-serial port. No apparent reason here, although I opened a second window with another demo program while (I think) I was downloading the blink example.

There isn't any obvious progress while bombing the card that I could find. I was surprised, in the end, when the led started blinking because everything was so slow and the software was not statusing any activity - so I thought it was just hanging again.

This is all a bit frustrating as I have a quadcopter shield that I wanted to buz out on the mega before trying to integrate it on the Blackwidow and the slowness and apparent lack of debug or status will make things really painful.

Anything Bluetooth on the computer? Software? Bluetooth dongle?

On which computer? Not on the mega. I had a usb wireless mouse running on my laptop but had to take it out anyway as the dang thing is double/triple clicking by its self lol

So I will take out the wireless moused, turn of the laptop blue tooth, cant see why that would interfere though.

Well I will be hornswoggled. Took out usb blue tooth mouse, turned off laptop bluetooth and viola, it works, and I can even get to the tools menu.

Why on earth would they interfere??

So, the only other question is which board do I select since the Blackwidow is not in list?

Why on earth would they interfere??

Depends on which bluetooth software/drivers you were using. The bluesoliel stuff is sh*t.