Ok - so we have to search for other reasons.
Back to your first question: I guess there is nothing changed in graphics mods. The graphic.dll´s are still the old ones.
But how is it with the length your file pathes? Have you placed your game on top of a drive (and not C:/)? This is a common reason for loading troubles.
And have you updated the Sideloader after install?
Otherwise last chance: new install
First of all, I want to thank you for your attention to this issue.
Yeah, it doesn't look like it has anything to do with graphics mods. I usually use DHH, but I have already tested without it, to exclude its accidental influence.
About path, it's 2 stepped. C:/Games/Illusion/. I suppose that's ok.
I try not to touch Sideloader or update it, in my experience it brings more problems than benefits.
I tested again the last build, which is R10, to make sure that there are definitely no such problems, but... I found about the same micro-freezes, they are much rarer and therefore almost imperceptible. I think it will be quite difficult to detect and eradicate the problem by considering that.
And about current build, surprisingly, after a while, the freezes became lesser, even in the chara creation, where they were when after each loading of characters - it's not always so. Mystery.