Clean out your cookies, temp internet files, history and Cache (cache if you use something other than internet explorer).
Also before you do a virus scan,
1.disable your network by right clicking on your network neighborhood icon (probably called my network places),
2 click properties on the drop down menu,
3.right click on the local area connection (or roadrunner connection, not sure what yours will be named).
4. On the drop down menu click on the disable.
Let it disable, wait a minute (shouldn't take that long but just being safe).
Start your virus scan and let it run till it is complete. Hopefully it will not take so long or stop.
Once it is done, do steps 1-3, on the drop down menu for #4 click enable.
Hopefully that will work.
Sometimes if you don't clean out your cookies, history, temp internet files (or cache) you can get a HUGE amount of files on your system that you might not be aware of which will cause the virus scan to take longer as there is more to scan.
Also sometimes you might have a program that is connecting to the net behind the scenes, does not always mean bad programs, sometimes it can be just windows checking for updates or other programs checking for updates. This can mess with a scan.
I normally don't have to do that for a virus scan, however when I defrag my hard drive, I always disable my network connection because it will always either stop or start over before it is done.
Hope that helps.
If not I guess you could try restarting your computer into safe mode and doing a virus scan.
Here is the one caveat that might screw things up for you. If the virus scan given to you is over the internet...those methods I gave you will not work. I don't know how your provider does it.
However you could always try this free online virus scanner, you will have to download some stuff from them but it is free...I think they also have a free online spyware scan but I have never used it so I don't know if it is any good or not.
http://housecall.trendmicro.com/
