NOD32 slow to scan *.wmf files?

Was performing a malware cleanup on a machine today. All was well, has a ton of the usual stuff, nothing weird. Get the machine cleaned up well enough that I can run in Windows and get NOD32 installed (to my variation on Blackspear's settings) and updated. Boot to safe mode and let her at it.

Gets to the directories for clipart from the Office Media disc and just slams itself to a crawl. Basically it is a set of directories (8 I believe) each containing about 1000-1200 *.wmf files, nothing else.

Takes NOD32 about 25 minutes to get through these directories (about 1/3 the total scanning time on this PC) and it makes me curious as to what the issue was there. My thoughts:

A) NOD32 has issues/slows down when scanning *.wmf files? (Because they get scanned more thoroughly because of the vulnerability?)
B) Huge numbers of files in a directory makes the scanner balk?

Oh, let me answer all the usual responses first:

Before the NOD32 scan the following things were performed (in order):

BartPE Disc (all registry edits are using registry redirector)

• Manually remove temp files, system restore files, malware items under C:\, KB Uninstallers
• HJT
• Custom Userinit fix script (HJT tends to fubar this if you use it under a PE environment)
• Scan Registry using Spy Sweeper
• Full Scan Ad-aware
• Scan C:\Windows with Antivir

Windows

• Re-enabled everything under msconfig (customers son tried to fix it first)
• Removed busted/non-active Norton 03 and then ran the Norton removal tool - Reboot
• Run CCleaner
• Install SuperAntispyware, clean memory and registry
• LSPfix followed by Winsock Fix - Reboot
• Install NOD32 - Reboot
• Update/Configure NOD32 - Reboot
• Safe Mode - NOD32 scan full boat settings (killed Explorer.exe while scan was running, had some malware attached to explorer)

Machine was a P4 2.8 with 512MB and a 7200RPM HD. XP Home SP2.

Any ideas on this slowdown (I almost thought I was using Norton it was that slow scanning those files) would be appreciated.

-Cov