How do I remove malware from my Windows laptop?

Don's laptop is infected with malware and he'd like a clean machine, what's the best way?

What's the cheapest way to get my Windows laptop swept and cleaned out of malware etc? Don

There are two obvious ways to clean a Windows laptop, and both of them are free. The first is to run a number of anti-malware programs to find and remove the bad stuff. The second is to reset it to factory condition.