diff --git a/portable/Windows-Start.bat b/portable/Windows-Start.bat
index a312e0a..edbdbd7 100644
--- a/portable/Windows-Start.bat
+++ b/portable/Windows-Start.bat
@@ -144,18 +144,24 @@ start /B "" "%NODE_BIN%" "%CONFIG_SERVER%\server.js" >nul 2>&1
 REM Wait for config server to start
 timeout /t 2 /nobreak >nul
 
-REM Open both Dashboard and Config Center
-echo   Opening Dashboard and Config Center...
-timeout /t 1 /nobreak >nul
-
-REM Open OpenClaw Dashboard first
-start "" http://127.0.0.1:%PORT%/#token=uclaw
-
-REM Open Config Center (Node.js web UI) second
+REM IMPORTANT: 不要在 gateway 启动前就开 Dashboard 浏览器！
+REM 慢 U 盘上 OpenClaw 首次启动要 staging bundled deps（几十秒），
+REM 过早打开 http://127.0.0.1:18789 会"拒绝连接"，是 issue #46/#48 的根因。
+REM 改为后台等待器：轮询端口，gateway 真正 LISTENING 后再开 Dashboard。
+echo   Opening Config Center...
 start "" http://127.0.0.1:18788/
 
-echo   Browsers opened. Starting OpenClaw Gateway on port %PORT%...
+REM 后台等待器：每 2s 探测 %PORT%，最多 ~5 分钟（150 次），监听到就开 Dashboard
+start /B "" cmd /c ""%UCLAW_DIR%lib\wait-gateway.bat" %PORT%"
+
+echo.
+echo   ========================================
+echo   Starting OpenClaw Gateway on port %PORT%...
+echo   First run on a USB drive may take 30-90 seconds
+echo   (unpacking bundled components). Please wait;
+echo   the Dashboard opens automatically when ready.
 echo   DO NOT close this window while using U-Claw!
+echo   ========================================
 echo.
 
 cd /d "%CORE_DIR%"
diff --git a/portable/lib/wait-gateway.bat b/portable/lib/wait-gateway.bat
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..32d5186
--- /dev/null
+++ b/portable/lib/wait-gateway.bat
@@ -0,0 +1,28 @@
+@echo off
+REM wait-gateway.bat - open Dashboard only after the Gateway is actually listening.
+REM Fixes issue #46/#48: on slow USB drives the gateway needs tens of seconds to
+REM stage bundled deps on first run; opening http://127.0.0.1:PORT before it is
+REM LISTENING shows "connection refused" and users think it is broken.
+REM Usage (called in background by Windows-Start.bat): wait-gateway.bat PORT
+REM Polls every 2s, up to 150 tries (~5 min). Opens the browser once ready.
+
+set "PORT=%~1"
+if "%PORT%"=="" set "PORT=18789"
+
+set /a TRIES=0
+:wait_loop
+netstat -an | findstr ":%PORT% " | findstr "LISTENING" >nul 2>&1
+if %errorlevel%==0 goto :ready
+set /a TRIES+=1
+if %TRIES% geq 150 goto :timeout
+timeout /t 2 /nobreak >nul
+goto :wait_loop
+
+:ready
+timeout /t 1 /nobreak >nul
+start "" http://127.0.0.1:%PORT%/#token=uclaw
+exit /b 0
+
+:timeout
+start "" http://127.0.0.1:18788/
+exit /b 1