It loads the default window, but then I get the windows blue circle for about 15-20 seconds before anything can happen. Does the same thing when loading projects, even those with just audio, no efx nothing expect pure audio wav files.
 
Anyone else experiencing this?

I'm seeing the same behavior.

I'm seeing the same too.
 
I put it down to me getting impatient in middle age 

I haven't installed the bandlab version yet, but 15-20 seconds ?????  Wow, that's quick!
 
For me, Platinum has always taken ages to load. I timed it on several occasions at a consistent 1:55. X3 still installed on the same computer is way quicker, almost instant by comparison. It wasn't long before I learned to just go away and do something else for few minutes while it does whatever it does. It seemed a more reasonable solution than throwing the PC out of the window.

I wish I had that speed. More like a minute or even longer.
 
 

I get a splash screen in less than 3 seconds, with simple projects taking about the same.
 
Haven't yet tested with anything more taxing but the times reported above seem excessively high.

On PC with only Cakewalk plugins very quick to open.

For me it's 6 seconds to get to the Cakewalk start screen.  And I have 488 plugins in the Cakewalk scanner.

You may want to check to see if your Anti-virus software is having an impact.
 
I have a pretty fast machine, but experienced similar problems.  The solution for me was to go into the settings on my anti-virus software (in this case, Kaspersky) and set up the 'exclusions' option. This allows you to prevent the AV software from scanning specific files/folders each time Cakewalk or Platinum starts or opens a project. I think most AV software provides this exclusion feature.  As well as your main Cakewalk program and project folders, you may need to exclude non-obvious folders such as c:\ProgramData\Cakewalk etc.
 
In my case setting Cakewalk folders to be excluded from the AV made a dramatic difference to load times.
 
I hope this helps.
 
Tom

ttinuk
You may want to check to see if your Anti-virus software is having an impact.
 
I have a pretty fast machine, but experienced similar problems.  The solution for me was to go into the settings on my anti-virus software (in this case, Kaspersky) and set up the 'exclusions' option. This allows you to prevent the AV software from scanning specific files/folders each time Cakewalk or Platinum starts or opens a project. I think most AV software provides this exclusion feature.  As well as your main Cakewalk program and project folders, you may need to exclude non-obvious folders such as c:\ProgramData\Cakewalk etc.
 
In my case setting Cakewalk folders to be excluded from the AV made a dramatic difference to load times.
 
I hope this helps.
 
Tom

That is a very good possibility.  Some AV programs may differ in this regard.
 
I use Avira Pro, without any exclusions, and so far it has not had any impact on performance here.  When I watch Windows Task Manager as Cakewalk launches, I can see Avira briefly ramp up with a low CPU hit while the Cakewalk plugin scanner runs, then it goes back to rest.