ArcGIS mxd need hours to open? What could be the reasons?

[JohannesBierer]

ArcGIS mxd need hours to open? What could be the reasons?

Even if I try to start an empty new project?

Any ideas?

10.1 Windows 7 64 bit 8 GB RAM?

[TimWitt2]

Johannes,

there might be some helpful information here: Troubleshooting Slow Performance in ArcGIS Desktop | Support Services Blog

Tim

[RebeccaStrauch__GISP]

Nice link Tim...lots of hints there including some in the comments.  to add to Tobias' comment, see Resetting your ArcGIS application profile​  for more detailed info.

Although a new mxd shouldn't have the issue, the hint that I think is overlooked (but mentioned in the comment of the blog) is clearing your geoprocessing "results" tab especially if you run a lot of long geoprocessing tasks.  These need to be read-in/written at start-up/close and can slow things down.

[TobiasFimpel1]

Not sure about the reason. One thing you could try to fix it is delete (or rename) the file Normal.mxt and ArcMap will create a new one on startup. You find that file usually in C:\Users\<your_username>\AppData\Roaming\ESRI\Desktop<your_ArcGiS_version>\ArcMap\Templates .

[JimHerries]

Good links provided above. I always clear selections from my layer and tables in cases like this, and check for network paths to data to see if the network is part of the issue. To troubleshoot, do Save As on the MXD once it's open, and remove one layer or table, save as new file name, repeat until you can isolate which layer is problematic.

[JohannesBierer]

Have deleted normal mxt. Doesn't change a thing

Even if I try to load an empty mxd it take years, so the layers or size or number of layer couldn't be the reason?

[JayantaPoddar]

Good point. In that case, Turn off all the layers in the MXD. Just turn on a layer or two (e.g. AOI boundary). Save the MXD. Turning on all the layers consumes a lot of time in drawing the features.

[RebeccaStrauch__GISP]

Some additional thing to try...

Can you try to log on as a different user to see if the result is the same? That could determine if it's a OS user profile issue (vs the normal.mxt that had no effect). 

Are you attached to a network or Internet? Can you isolate (unplug from networks )  to see if same happens? That can determine if it's your machine/install or possibly some other external issue.

By any chance, do you have an external drive or thumb drive attached, and/or was one attached when installing? In one of the versions (possibly 10.1) if we had an external attached, part of the install would end up on the external. Never could figure out why (maybe just out network) but uninstalling, detaching the external and reinstalling would resolve that. Worth a look. I could see that slowing things down.

[ChrisDonohue__GISP]

A lot of good suggestions here.

I'd definitely try the suggestion by Jayanta Poddar  of turning off all the layers and then saving, as I've run into a similar situation before.  I had an mxd at one company that we needed to use to update a figure occasionally for a project and it was pointed at a map service that was incredibly slow.  By saving it with the layer off, at least once could get going on the mxd before having to pull the cumbersome data.

Chris Donohue, GISP