Hi patch,
When you get a program on a cd or from the internet, what you actually get is an installer (usually - some run as they are without installing).
They normally have an .msi or.exe file extension.
When you rt click and run as admin on the installer - it installs any relevant registry entries, and creates a folder in Program Files, or Program Files (x86) - inside that are all the constituent parts of the program.
The installer stays where it is. You will find it either on the cd it came on , or wherever you downloaded it to - probably the Downloads folder.
If you cannot find the installer you can probably get another from the website.
OR, you can copy the entire folder with the program's name on it from Inside the Program Files folder.
Often they will run as executables, even if they haven't actually been installed.
For example, I use a program called Faststone Capture, which I have installed as normal. There are registry entries for it and the Fastone folder inside C:\ Program Files.
All I need to do is rt click and copy the entire Faststone folder
onto a cd.
Then copy the entire Faststone folder from the cd to a new machine .
Because it is one of the many that will just run as it is, I can open the folder on the new machine, rt click an run as admin on the .exe and it works perfectly.
I can also create a shortcut to .exe and have it on the desktop, pinned to startmenu, or taskbar.
If you lost the installers, and cannot get replacements, you will probably be able to get most of your programs to work like that.
Hope it helps