I'm using 1.8.6 on an I7 laptop running W10. Other applications open in a reasonable time, but the IDE takes maybe 1-2 MINUTES! Is there a known issue with installation that can cause long searches for links, etc.?
There were some IDE versions somewhere aroun 1.8.6 that had a bug that made them very slow to start. Try updating to Arduino IDE 1.8.9 and then let us know if you still are having the problem.
1.8.9 opens faster, but still takes 30-45 seconds. I installed 1.8.9 on another new Dell laptop and it opens in maybe 4 seconds. The slow machine is a Dell I bought about 6 months ago, so it's not a dinosaur.
The IDE does a scan of all your installed libraries and hardware packages when it starts up. So the startup time is very dependent on how many of those you have installed. Are the IDE installations the same in this respect on both your computers?
I think you've hit on the answer. The "slow" computer has libraries all over the place, partly because I hate auto-storage of files in obscure places, and partly from many transfers from each succeeding laptop. The "fast" computer was brand-new with nothing installed on it except the IDE.
I guess I need to clean up the "slow" machine and get my libraries in order and get rid of duplicate files.
Thanks.