Set Association Error Message and shortcuts no longer work...

Hi community, I installed my norton internet security 2010 on my computer a few months back, but after it was installed I found that all my shortcuts no longer work. I keep getting an error message "C:\program files (x86)\microsoft office\office12\winword.exe This file does not have a program associated with it for performing this action. creat an association in the set associations control panel" or similar messages for the files I want to open. This message also appears when I go to my windows icon and select a program such as microsoft office, paint, anything. What is going on? I tried doing as the message says, but I am so confused as to what I should be doing, and it seems hopeless if I tried to do the process for every single one of my shortcuts, desktop icons, and windows tab links. Please help! Should I uninstall and try again? I think I may have thrown the disk with my password key out, so I am afraid of uninstalling it.