I had to used the emergency recovery disk to get my PC back up and now all of my files are still on the PC but the software programs are not there. I had to reinstall the MS office and all of those but I have a few where the disk are lost.

Why would the files be there but not the software? Is that typical? Is there some way to get the programs back?

Probably because the software files are part of the system, a restore disk restores all system files to the originals...I don't think there's a way to undo this

These are files that I have added my pictures music taxes etc all of those are there. It is the software programs that are missing. Can anyone help?

Exactly, files for programs are installed in the windows system folder, when you used the restore disk it cleared out the system folder and put in fresh copies of the files, your software is no longer installed

Thank you so much. I had lost one of my disk for a software programs, but it has been found so I should be ok. Just the hassle of reinstalling but hey at least my files are still there. Will they automatically associate themselves when I reinstall the programs or is there a procedure I need to do?

When you reinstall your programs they should re-associate themselves with the appropriate filetypes, if they don't you can just right click on a file with that file type, hit properties and then it will say "Opens with" on the window that comes up, click the "Change" button and select the program you want, it will associate all the other files with that filetype for that same program as well