FLB makes Explorer to perform huge activity: bug?

Five minutes to read less than 100 shortcuts? It is too much, isn't it?

It is very much. But... What is your CPU, hard disk? What Windows do you use? What anivirus do you use?

Note, when loading shortcuts FLB/TLB reads at least two file. The first file is shortcut and the second file - file that shortcut refer (to read icon).

During startup Windows reads many many files. And most of antiviruses check all that files for viruses. So if you have ~100 shortcuts antivirus must check ~200 files - this can take 5 minutes not only on slow computers.

So try to turn off antivirus for one restart to be sure that problem is here.

TLB have virtual folders that loaded on first startup. Also maybe some shortcuts on network and this can slow down loding.

What does it mean exactly?

Free Launch Bar don't have this feature.

What do you mean by shortcuts into menus can speendup loading process?

Create menus on toolbar and move shortcuts into menus. Free Launch Bar load icons on toolbar before icons from menus. After loading toolbar icons, FLB loads menus in the second thread. System have more resources to continue startup.