MS Office 2013 aps...

This issue has been bothering me for awhile, short description....

Windows 7 and 10 sharing files via workgroup with one gig switched network, using local accounts. Initial opening and MS Office file (.docx, .xlsx, etc.) takes anywhere from 15-25 seconds. Opening another file with the same extension is instantaneous, pops right up.

Closing the the app and immediately opening even the just closed file takes 15-25 seconds to open. And again, opening another file with the same extension is instantaneous.

Locally opening just the app on Windows 10 results in the same, the message states "Starting application...", "Loading plugins....", etc. Opening a new window of the same app is quick, it's only at the initial app start there's the delay.

All MS Office apps configured to start with a blank document. I've tried deleting history, modify default folder, etc., but no use. All Office apps are blocked from accessing the internet, they have access to only the local network. That didn't help either.

Interestingly, Visio 2013 does not do this, it's pops right up, regardless if the file is local or remote....

The system has a one gig Samsung 850 EVO drive, 16 gig memory and i5 3350P quad-core CPU. While the CPU is getting old, it is not the source of this issue.

Any suggestion for eliminating the initial delay for MS Office apps?

TIA..

After looking in to this issue further...

It is the MS Word and Excel startup that have the 20 seconds, or so delay for opening a file. Starting excel with a blank document takes couple of seconds, while word takes about the same 20 seconds to open the blank document. Other MS Office programs, like power point, start instantaneously even with internet access blocked. The firewall log shows this:



That's 24 seconds for starting the word app.... Disabling the filewall doesn't change much, excel and word still takes times to start, while other office apps are fine. The difference is that with the firewall disabled, there are data transfers between the app and the IP addresses in the image. Wireshark shows that the content is encrypted via TLS 1.2.

Is there a settings that would disable these connections to MS servers?

TIA...

Malwarebytes 3.3.1 version has caused the delay, once disabled, the PC performance returned to normal...