ArcGIS Desktop application startup is slow when custom components are installed

Description

ArcGIS Desktop applications (ArcCatalog, ArcMap, ArcScene, or ArcGlobe) take a long time to start when custom components have been installed.

Cause

Custom components, such as toolbars or commands and extensions, registered into a number of component categories are created during application startup or when the Customize dialog box is displayed. If there are a large number of inaccessible custom components registered on the machine, there may be a significant delay.

Example 1: \\<MyServer>\myComponents.dll is registered on the computer but <MyServer> is shut down or inaccessible due to user permission changes, so myComponents.dll is no longer available.

Example 2: A registered .dll file is deleted or moved without being unregistered properly.

Solution or Workaround

1. Open the ESRI Component Category manager by navigating to C:\Program Files\ArcGIS\Bin in Windows Explorer and double-clicking the categories.exe.
   
   Search the following categories for the ArcGIS Desktop application that is slow to startup:
   
   ArcMap:
   ESRI Mx CommandBars
   ESRI Mx Commands
   ESRI Mx Extensions
   
   ArcCatalog:
   ESRI Gx CommandBars
   ESRI Gx Commands
   ESRI Gx Extensions
   
   ArcScene:
   ESRI Sx CommandBars
   ESRI Sx Commands
   ESRI Sx Extensions
   
   ArcGlobe:
   ESRI GMx CommandBars
   ESRI GMx Commands
   ESRI GMx Extensions
2. For each component category, check to see if any non-ESRI components are installed by selecting the component and checking the path of its source .dll.
   
   

   Note:
    If the component is a .NET object, the error message "File not found: mscoree.dll" displays. Find the actual .NET assembly .dll where the component resides. A useful tool for this is the OLE Viewer.

   
   
3. Check if the paths of the custom components found in step 2 are accessible.
4. If any inaccessible components are found, unregister them properly. First, use the repair/uninstall program that comes with the custom component setup. If that program does not exist, use the ESRI Component Category manager 'Remove Object' command. Re-register the components with the correct source .dll files, if necessary.