Some very long-distance IT guesswork: If your laptop is relatively new, running Windows 10(?), and extremely slow to start up, it may be trying to update. Windows updates can be a problem. Go into Settings, Update and Security (or similar label) and check the status of updates. You may need to allow them to download, restart the computer, it could take a while, especially if your connection is slow (relatively). You may need to restart more than once. The machine may be backlogged with updates, and the process could take a while. But, with some patience, you may be able to get your machine running well again. Or, it could be something else... Good luck! I enjoy your blog.