When I start k3b or k3bsetup it takes a lot of time to open the main window, and I don't know why.
It happens with my Slackware 12.0 but not with ubuntu.

Do other KDE applications take this long to start? Are you actually running KDE?

As a rule of thumb, starting a GUI application from the console is the best way to see what is going on. Many times errors will pop up there when nothing is showing in the UI.

I'm actually running KDE (Slackware 12.0), other applications require normal times.
I think this is something related to hardware recognition as it happens both with k3b than with k3bsetup.

This is the output when launching k3b from konsole:

k3b
kdecore (KAction): WARNING: KActionCollection::KActionCollection( QObject *parent, const char *name, KInstance *instance )
spike@darkstar:~/dipendenze$ (K3bDevice::HalConnection) initializing HAL >= 0.5
Mapping udi /org/freedesktop/Hal/devices/storage_model_CD/DVDW_TS_H552U to device /dev/sr1
Mapping udi /org/freedesktop/Hal/devices/storage_model_DVD_RW_DRU_510A to device /dev/sr0
/dev/sr1 resolved to /dev/sr1
/dev/sr1 is block device (1)
/dev/sr1 seems to be cdrom
bus: 1, id: 1, lun: 0
(K3bDevice::Device) /dev/sr1: init()
(K3bDevice::Device) /dev/sr1 feature: CD Mastering
(K3bDevice::Device) /dev/sr1 feature: CD Track At Once
(K3bDevice::Device) /dev/sr1 feature: DVD+R
(K3bDevice::Device) /dev/sr1 feature: DVD+RW
(K3bDevice::Device) /dev/sr1 feature: DVD+R Double Layer
(K3bDevice::Device) /dev/sr1 feature: DVD-R/-RW Write
(K3bDevice::Device) /dev/sr1 feature: Rigid Restricted Overwrite
(K3bDevice::Device) /dev/sr1: dataLen: 60
(K3bDevice::Device) /dev/sr1: checking for TAO
(K3bDevice::Device) /dev/sr1: checking for SAO
(K3bDevice::Device) /dev/sr1: checking for SAO_R96P
(K3bDevice::Device) /dev/sr1: checking for SAO_R96R
(K3bDevice::Device) /dev/sr1: checking for RAW_R16
(K3bDevice::Device) /dev/sr1: checking for RAW_R96P
(K3bDevice::Device) /dev/sr1: checking for RAW_R96R
(K3bDevice::ScsiCommand) failed:
command: GET PERFORMANCE (ac)
errorcode: 72
sense key: NO SENSE (2)
asc: 0
ascq: 3
(K3bDevice::Device) /dev/sr1: GET PERFORMANCE length det failed.
(K3bDevice::Device) /dev/sr1: Number of supported write speeds via 2A: 0
(K3bDevice::DeviceManager) setting current write speed of device /dev/sr1 to 0
/dev/sr0 resolved to /dev/sr0
/dev/sr0 is block device (0)
/dev/sr0 seems to be cdrom
bus: 0, id: 1, lun: 0
(K3bDevice::Device) /dev/sr0: init()
(K3bDevice::Device) /dev/sr0 feature: CD Mastering
(K3bDevice::Device) /dev/sr0 feature: CD Track At Once
(K3bDevice::Device) /dev/sr0 feature: DVD+R
(K3bDevice::Device) /dev/sr0 feature: DVD+RW
(K3bDevice::Device) /dev/sr0 feature: DVD-R/-RW Write
(K3bDevice::Device) /dev/sr0 feature: Rigid Restricted Overwrite
(K3bDevice::Device) /dev/sr0: dataLen: 60
(K3bDevice::Device) /dev/sr0: checking for TAO
(K3bDevice::Device) /dev/sr0: checking for SAO
(K3bDevice::Device) /dev/sr0: checking for SAO_R96P
(K3bDevice::ScsiCommand) failed:
command: MODE SELECT (55)
errorcode: 70
sense key: ILLEGAL REQUEST (5)
asc: 26
ascq: 0
(K3bDevice::Device) /dev/sr0: checking for SAO_R96R
(K3bDevice::Device) /dev/sr0: checking for RAW_R16
(K3bDevice::ScsiCommand) failed:
command: MODE SELECT (55)
errorcode: 70
sense key: ILLEGAL REQUEST (5)
asc: 26
ascq: 0
(K3bDevice::Device) /dev/sr0: checking for RAW_R96P
(K3bDevice::ScsiCommand) failed:
command: MODE SELECT (55)
errorcode: 70
sense key: ILLEGAL REQUEST (5)
asc: 26
ascq: 0
(K3bDevice::Device) /dev/sr0: checking for RAW_R96R
(K3bDevice::ScsiCommand) failed:
command: GET PERFORMANCE (ac)
errorcode: 72
sense key: NO SENSE (2)
asc: 0
ascq: 3
(K3bDevice::Device) /dev/sr0: GET PERFORMANCE length det failed.
(K3bDevice::Device) /dev/sr0: Number of supported write speeds via 2A: 1
(K3bDevice::Device) /dev/sr0 : 4234 KB/s
(K3bDevice::DeviceManager) setting current write speed of device /dev/sr0 to 3324
/dev/sr1 resolved to /dev/sr1
(K3bDevice::DeviceManager) dev /dev/sr1 already found
/dev/sr0 resolved to /dev/sr0
(K3bDevice::DeviceManager) dev /dev/sr0 already found
(K3bDevice::DeviceManager) found config entry for devicetype: TSSTcorp CD/DVDW TS-H552U
(K3bDevice::DeviceManager) found config entry for devicetype: SONY DVD RW DRU-510A
Devices:
------------------------------
Blockdevice: /dev/sr1
Generic device:
Vendor: TSSTcorp
Description: CD/DVDW TS-H552U
Version: US06
Write speed: 0
Profiles: DVD-ROM, DVD-R sequenziale, DVD-RW a riscrittura limitata, DVD-RW sequenziale, DVD+RW, DVD+R, DVD+R a doppio strato, CD-ROM, CD-R, CD-RW
Read Cap: DVD-ROM, DVD-R, DVD-R sequenziale, DVD-RW, DVD-RW a riscrittura limitata, DVD-RW sequenziale, DVD+RW, DVD+R, DVD+R a doppio strato, CD-ROM, CD-R, CD-RW
Write Cap: DVD-R, DVD-R sequenziale, DVD-RW, DVD-RW a riscrittura limitata, DVD-RW sequenziale, DVD+RW, DVD+R, DVD+R a doppio strato, CD-R, CD-RW
Writing modes: SAO, TAO, RAW, SAO/R96P, SAO/R96R, RAW/R16, RAW/R96P, RAW/R96R, Riscrittura limitata
Reader aliases: /dev/sr1
------------------------------
Blockdevice: /dev/sr0
Generic device:
Vendor: SONY
Description: DVD RW DRU-510A
Version: 1.1a
Write speed: 3324
Profiles: DVD-ROM, DVD-R sequenziale, DVD-RW a riscrittura limitata, DVD-RW sequenziale, DVD+RW, DVD+R, CD-ROM, CD-R, CD-RW
Read Cap: DVD-ROM, DVD-R, DVD-R sequenziale, DVD-RW, DVD-RW a riscrittura limitata, DVD-RW sequenziale, DVD+RW, DVD+R, CD-ROM, CD-R, CD-RW
Write Cap: DVD-R, DVD-R sequenziale, DVD-RW, DVD-RW a riscrittura limitata, DVD-RW sequenziale, DVD+RW, DVD+R, CD-R, CD-RW
Writing modes: SAO, TAO, RAW, SAO/R96R, RAW/R96R, Riscrittura limitata
Reader aliases: /dev/sr0
------------------------------
kdecore (KAction): WARNING: KActionCollection::operator+=(): function is severely deprecated.

is there a way to start k3b without hardware recognition?