Reccomendations for Linux/alternative resolutions to my 'multiple' windows probl

[#1]

To summarise - I have a laptop that hasn't been used for 18 months, my granddaughter was coming over and  I wanted to use it to stream Netflix so she could watch it in the bedroom at bedtime. On turning on the laptop went straight to !00% CPU usage. An hour later, after realising that it wasn't due to windows updates I opened up the task manager to see what was happening.  There were no programs running,  but a whole list of processes running (I don't know what the majority, 99%, do. So I daren't touch them). I tried to update windows, then found that the browser was not connecting. I then sorted that out ( what a game that was) however with the CPU still running at 100% it wasn't playing.
The laptop runs Vista home, so no support there.
Would a Linux disc, running boot on start-up, bypass all these problems?  If so what would you suggest?  Can I get this online,and then burn it to disc? 
I have a separate problem with the laptop.  It has 'lost' the mouse. It doesn't recognise the mouse, and when I go into device manager, there is no tab for mouse - just the touch pad. I tried inserting the dongle for the bluetooth mouse, it tells me the drivers have been loaded, but it doesn't work.  A wired mouse doesn't work, and is not recognised. Without a tab, I can't alter settings or update drivers etc.
There's something to get your teeth into.
Any help/advice would be gratefully received.

[#2]

Search on Google for Linux Mint download
You will be given options to download 32bit or 64 bit
download your choice
you will then have to find the download, and notice that it is a .iso file
you need to burn this to DVD.
Once you have your copy burned to disc.  you insert it into the laptop... then boot up...   assuming you boot from CD DRIVE as start up.. after about a minute, you will get the Linux loading
Once loaded it will give you a desktop page,  with a couple of icons... one of which will state " install linux"..
You can run the laptop on the disc... but you will not be able to save any work you did until you have actually installed the linux
If you want, you can click the Install icon, and it will install alongside your windows and give you dual booting...  
Good Luck  
P.S. you will probably find that your mouse works !...  You may also find you have difficulty getting your wireless/router link  to work,... so you need to be wired to your router to start with...
Another P.S.  you should be able to access your windows files and folders too !  ! ! !..

[#3]

Thanks Shutter, will give it a blast. Must admit that after reading some of these posts on this forum I was a bit worried about it.  Would be great to get the mouse working again. Not worried about the windows programs, merely need it as a player for  Netflix ( via WiFi, so fingers crossed). :).

[#4]

A couple of observations....
GNU/Linux distros generally have several desktop environments (and window managers) to choose from, some more resource-hungry than others; if you go for Linux Mint (as good a choice as any for a first-time Linux user). I'd suggest opting for the MATE (or Xfce) rather than the Cinnamon download for an older laptop (and if Vista is installed it qualifies as older).
I don't have a Netflix account, AFAIK the only way to access it on Linux is via the Chrome browser (which has the required DRM support).
If, worst case scenario, your problems with Vista are due to hardware failures of some sort, a change of OS isn't going to make much difference.

[#5]

I'm a long time linux user and have got to know my way around a fair bit. You'll need Google's version of Chrome to watch Netflix.
When you install linux, if you do it the vanilla default way, you will overwrite the windows partition - unless you have a clever installer that detects windows and then gives you the choice of partitioning the disk and having separate partitions for linux.
For a low end spec laptop you want to consider a lightweight desktop or window manager. I can recommend xfce as it is the most intuitive and easy to use whilst being somewhat similar to Windows. It should run quite fast compared to your vista install.
Let us know how you get on and welcome to the world of linux.

[#6]

Quote from: kabads

When you install linux, if you do it the vanilla default way, you will overwrite the windows partition

That is so not true for any installer in the past 5 years. They will offer to do a dual boot. Maybe for cli based installers but anything using a GUI installer should offer dual boot or custom for you choose your self.