Well, on one machine I use an expensive device for which only 32 bit drivers exist. And also a much cherished program that fails under 64 bit OS but does not run well in VM. Also I have another machine with only 1 GB RAM, which is not enough for 64 bit OS, but otherwise fine for AoC.

In the worst case, I could install 64 bit Windows test-wise on a separate SSD. But I don't really believe it would help - after all, the renamed AoC executable works fine so it's not the OS in general. My "stomach feeling" goes more toward installation from my old Microsoft CDs and side effects of the former copy protection.

Can I buy an AoC version on steam which looks like the original one?

Let's first test something else, I have sent you a PM.

Update on this: I found that the delay disappears if the network cable is disconnected / WLAN disabled.
Resetting the Windows firewall did not help. Switching network status between private and public also made no difference.

(But renaming the AoC executable still makes the delay disappear.)

This reminds me one bug with games on Unity engine, which while was being known,no one were sure what it was. But some people were sugesting things like Hamachi were causing it (or having multiple network adapters,including virtual ones). Other were mentioning that disabling IPv6 in networt properties were fixing their issues.
Not sure if this can be similar bug.

Just wondering, when exactly does the problem occur. When on Voobly, please try the following:
Launch the Game using Patch 1.0c (without any mods), Patch 1.4 (without any mods), Patch 1.5 (without any mods) and Patch 1.6 (with 1.6 Game Data Mod).

Is the behavior the same for all patches or just for certain patches or can't you reproduce the behavior at all and the problem is related to a mod?

The patch selection windows appeared after the delay. The issue did not seem patch/mod related, just network/filename related. However, I did not re-install Voobly after the latest attempt with the archives you sent, as the issue already appeared without Voobly. I shall retry the Voobly install.

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If this also won't fix the issue, let's have a closer look at this together. I will be available this coming Sunday at 3 PM CET.

As expected, a clean re-install of Voobly didn't change the > 1 minute delay. It only helps to disconnect network or rename the executable.

Run this in an administrator elevated command prompt. Only issue the last command, if you are still using Windows 7.

Thanks. I tried disabling IPv6 but it did not change the behaviour.

Didn't change anything.

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I'd prefer not to run even more system tools, and risk breaking something else. There is no general system problem, as the executable runs fine when renamed.

Please get back to me once you are back from your holidays.

I did contact you early October but have no reply yet. The weird one minute delay remains, unless
- the AoC executable is renamed OR
- network is disconnected
Of course, this looks much like a firewall problem, but the exceptions for Voobly and AoC are there, and I don't know what else to change in the firewall settings.