I'v now done the complete process from the original disk and through the updates from 10.6.1 through 10.6.8, and the Safari update, one at a time. After 10.6.1 and 10.6.2, the chime to log-in window took less than five minutes.
Thereafter it was always exactly 9 minutes 55 seconds.
Interesting, even getting to logout takes nearly five minutes, entirely with the blue screen.
ryck
"What Were Once Vices Are Now Habits" The Doobie Brothers