Slow initialization due to SettingsCo​nstructorL​oadingFile​s

Matlab takes about 7.5 minutes to fully start up. The splash screen is quick, what is slow is the initialization step once matlab is open. I could not find this same problem anywhere else on the forums. If important, I am running Ubuntu with minimal packages and a fresh install of 2024b:

MATLAB Startup Performance Metrics (In Seconds)

total item gap description

=========================================================

0.33 0.33 0.00 MATLAB script

0.49 0.16 0.00 main

0.54 0.05 -0.00 Session Initialize

2.15 0.03 1.58 Toolbox cache load Start

2.15 0.73 0.88 Session Initialize

2.51 0.36 2.15 cachepath

3.44 0.87 2.57 LM Startup

3.47 0.03 0.00 splash

3.76 0.15 0.15 Constant Initialization

4.05 0.58 0.00 Engine Startup

4.16 0.11 0.00 InitSunVM

6.89 2.66 0.07 PostVMInit

6.92 2.86 0.00 mljInit

6.96 0.04 0.00 StartDesktop

6.96 2.90 0.00 Java initialization

7.07 0.08 0.03 psParser

7.07 0.00 0.00 Toolbox cache join

7.13 0.06 0.00 Package Registry initialization

7.81 0.25 0.42 matlabpath

8.98 0.25 0.93 matlabrc

8.98 0.00 0.00 Startup File

12.09 5.13 6.96 Init Desktop

456.79 0.00 447.81 SettingsConstructorLoadingFiles

456.79 0.00 447.81 SettingsConstructorLoadingFiles

457.15 0.10 0.26 matlabpath

457.52 450.56 6.96 Ready

=========================================================

Items shown account for 100.0% of total startup time

[Avni Agrawal]

Hi @Gabriel,

I understand that you are experiencing MATLAB startup performance issues. I came across this MATLAB Answers post where multiple solutions are provided on the similar issue. Please take a look at Solution 2, 3 and 5 from this question: Why does MATLAB get stuck in the "Initializing" or "Busy" state or take a long time to start? - MATLAB Answers - MATLAB Central

Answer 1

[Srikanth_Y]

Hi  Gabriel,

This kind of delay during MATLAB startup, especially when the splash screen loads quickly but the actual initialization takes several minutes can be annoying. Based on the startup metrics shared, the main culprit seems to be:

SettingsConstructorLoadingFiles – taking over 7 minutes to complete.

Here are few steps that helps to resolve the issue:

1. Clear Local MATLAB Settings Folder:

Sometimes, the local settings folder gets bloated or corrupted, which can slow down the SettingsConstructorLoadingFiles step.

• Close MATLAB completely
• Go to the local settings folder: In Linux,

 ~/.matlab/R2024b 

• Rename the folder to something like R2024b_backup or delete it.
• Start MATLAB again. It will recreate the folder with fresh default settings.

2. Disable Antivirus Scanning for MATLAB Folders:

Antivirus software can sometimes interfere with MATLAB’s startup by scanning its files in real-time.

• Open the antivirus program.
• Look for settings related to real-time protection or active scanning.
• Add exclusions for:
• The MATLAB installation directory (e.g., /usr/local/MATLAB/R2024b)
• The MATLAB preferences folder (e.g., ~/.matlab/R2024b)
• Save the changes and restart MATLAB.

This helps to reduce startup time significantly on systems with aggressive antivirus settings.

3. Remove Network Paths and Restore Default MATLAB Path:

Network drives or outdated paths in MATLAB’s search path can also cause delays.

• Open MATLAB and run:

path

Check if there are any network or external paths listed.

• Backup the current path:

save('my_backup_path.mat', 'path')

• Restore the default path:

restoredefaultpath 
rehash toolboxcache 
savepath 

• Restart MATLAB and see if the startup improves.

For a clear explanation of how “restoredefaultpath” and “savepath” affect custom paths and how to safely back them up before making changes: https://www.mathworks.com/matlabcentral/answers/166871

For other approaches and troubleshooting tips that have worked for similar startup issues, this thread has a bunch of useful suggestions:​‌ https://www.mathworks.com/matlabcentral/answers/92566-why-does-matlab-get-stuck-in-the-initializing-or-busy-state-or-take-a-long-time-to-start

Hope this helps.