Programs have no side by side configuration

Hello there. Can someone please help me. I have issues on my system whereby i cannot open various programs and get an error message coming up saying 'The file does not have a program associated with it for performing this action. Create an association in the Set associations control panel'
I have tried various things that have been suggested on these forums and i am getting no where. I can't use Microsoft office, quicktime and have various problems with other programs such as live mail with some kind of .framework error and also itunes as well.
Can anyone help me at all with this please? I would just reinstall Vista but when i bought the computer online, it didn't come with a copy of the operating system so at the moment, i'm pretty screwed and it's doing my head in.

Welcome, see if resetting the lnk and exe association helps
Try to reset the exe and lnk associations.
Default File Type Associations - Restore

The subject of your post is Side by Side, which is an entirely different issue not addressed by this post.

I dont understand the correlation between your problem and the Side by side mentioned. Here is a sample of a side by side problem
http://www.vistax64.com/software/245768-side-side-configuration-incorrect.html

OK,
I've done what you've said in the first link, chose the reg link, downloaded the registry editor and followed the steps and added default registry keys to my computer.
I have also looked at the link below this about this issue and doing the sfc/scannow. I wasn't able to do this in normal mode so had to go into safe mode to execute this. After doing both of these, i am still none the wiser and still having the problems. Any ideas?

Is your only problem, that you cant open programs?

As far as i am aware at the moment. Programs just aren't opening or have some sort of error with them. All microsoft offices are coming up with the side by side message, all adobe programs i have on the computer, itunes has a differnt error message saying it can't open. something isn't quite right at all
I have had a quick look at some other posts as well and don't know whether this makes any difference. I've just gone into administrative tools and the event viewer as somone else had done in one of the other threads and it says' MMC could no create a snap in. The snap in might not have been installed correctly?
I'll be honest, i know a bit about computers but not come across this before myself

So then you do have a side by side problem. I will leave a note asking for help from one of our experts, in that area. Just be patient. If he feels he can help, he will as soon as he logs in.

ok, great stuff. Thanks very much for the help and hopefully i'll here back from someone about this mess!!
Cheers

Just read about side by side in that link that I gave you. Good that you have and idea, so that you can question and understand the instructions that you will be given.
good luck