SOLUTION # 1 (IF YOU WANT TO EDIT XML FILE)
I would like you to download Magento 2 zip from magentocommerce.com/download
with sample data, create new db in phpmyadmin, extract zip in htdocs folder. Install Magento 2 but do not use localhost use 127.0.0.1 in store URL and admin URL. After successful installation DO NOT run magento.
Now we are going to clear / delete caches and sessions of Magento 2. Go to following paths and delete everything:
ROOT > var > cache > *DELETE ALL*
ROOT > var > page_cache > *DELETE ALL*
ROOT > var > session > *DELETE ALL*
When Magento 2 is not in production mode, it will try to create symlinks for some static resources on local server. We have to change that behavior of Magento 2 by going to edit ROOT > app > etc > di.xml
file. Open up di.xml
in your favorite code editor, find the virtualType name="developerMaterialization"
section. In that section below, you will find an item <item name="view_preprocessed" xsi:type="object">
which needs to be modified. You can modify it by changing the following content:
Magento\Framework\App\View\Asset\MaterializationStrategy\Symlink
To:
Magento\Framework\App\View\Asset\MaterializationStrategy\Copy
Now last step, also delete old files generated in ROOT > pub > static > DELETE ALL EXCEPT .HTACCESS
SOLUTION # 2
Install Composer. Now I would like you to download Magento 2 zip from magentocommerce.com/download
, create new db in phpmyadmin, extract zip in htdocs folder. Install Magento 2 but do not use localhost use 127.0.0.1 in store URL and admin URL. After successful installation DO NOT run magento.
Now we are going to verify Composer installation, Deploy static content, clear / flush Magento cache and reindex the Magento 2 blocks. To perform all above actions, press WINDOWS KEY + R to open RUN dialog and type “cmd” to open Command Prompt.
Type “cd PATH_TO_YOUR_MAGENTO2_FILES” to enter in Magento 2 ROOT directory.
Now to verify Composer installation in above directory, type “composer install”.
If you get any error in this step, please check your Composer
installation
In this step, we are setting up static content to deploy on our Magento store. To perform this, type “php bin/magento setup:static-content:deploy”.
For Those who are on Magento 2.2.x
php bin/magento setup:static-content:deploy -f
If you get any error, check your PHP.EXE and PHP.INI Environment
Variable
Clear / Flush Magento cache by typing “php bin/magento cache:flush” in CMD.
And finally, to Reindex Magento Static Blocks type “php bin/magento indexer:reindex”.
You are done with successful installation of Magento 2.
Best Answer
That's just the way it is unfortunately to a large extent. There's a lot of processes there when loading without the cache that do all the hard work of building dynamic classes so you don't have to.
Is your database local or external? That could be causing a slowdown if it's the latter, but a lot will be the process of rebuilding the different files needed.
With the cache disabled it takes around 5/6 seconds for loading for me, but with cache enabled it is significantly quicker. Something's not quite right if the load times are the same for you with or without the cache enabled.