VS2010 loads slowly. Can I profile extensions'

Question

I have a simple question. Is it possible to somehow get a log of what is taking so much time to load when starting VS2010? On a default install, starting the IDE is very quick (~1-2 s), but with a batch of extensions installed, the time taken for the IDE to launch is prohibitive of using it to "just have a peek at a file".

I know I can "enable and disable extensions one by one", but I'm looking for a better way that gives me numbers, not 'feelings'.

Hope someone out there knows a good way to do this.

Edit: Follow-up question: Can I selectively disable packages from loading into VS2010?

Answer 1

You can use devenv /log as detailed here: MSDN Blogs: Troubleshooting Extensions with the Activity Log.

1. Run devenv /log
2. Close the IDE again to close the log Win+R,
3. Run %APPDATA%\Microsoft\VisualStudio\10.0\ActivityLog.xsl
4. Wait for it to load in Visual Studio
5. Open %APPDATA%\Microsoft\VisualStudio\10.0\ActivityLog.xml in a web browser and it will format itself nicely.

Answer 2

No need to upvote this answer, give it to Antony instead (or edit it into his, I don't have enough points):

1. Run devenv /log,
2. Close the IDE to close the log / stop logging,
3. [Win]+[R], run "%APPDATA%\Microsoft\VisualStudio\10.0\ActivityLog.xsl"
4. Wait for it to load in Visual Studio,
5. Press [CTRL]+[ALT]+[F5], select ActivityLog.xml, or paste "%APPDATA%\Microsoft\VisualStudio\10.0\ActivityLog.xml" into the browser.
6. View the formatted html.

FYI: Here was one of my slow extensions that I will get rid of and file a bug report in:

339  Begin package load [DPStudio.VSCommands.VSCommandsPackage, DPStudio.VSCommands, Version=1.0.0.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=1f57f29404ce1db6] {4D4B29B7-971B-4FF2-8604-CF9F67FBB705}  VisualStudio 2010/10/22
**09:20:11.275** 

340  Entering function VBDispatch::GetTypeLib   VisualStudio 2010/10/22 09:20:11.643   341  Leaving function VBDispatch::GetTypeLib {80CC9F66-E7D8-4DDD-85B6-D9E6CD0E93E2}  VisualStudio 2010/10/22
**09:20:11**.644 

342  Entering function VBDispatch::GetTypeLib   VisualStudio 2010/10/22 **09:20:20**.274 

343  Leaving function VBDispatch::GetTypeLib {80CC9F66-E7D8-4DDD-85B6-D9E6CD0E93E2}  VisualStudio 2010/10/22 09:20:20.274 

344  End package load [DPStudio.VSCommands.VSCommandsPackage, DPStudio.VSCommands, Version=1.0.0.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=1f57f29404ce1db6] {4D4B29B7-971B-4FF2-8604-CF9F67FBB705}  VisualStudio 2010/10/22 09:20:20.294