Run, search, and networking icons missing plus some others.

I uninstalled a bunch of old programs that I wasn't using a couple of weeks ago. I used the add/remove program feature of windows then my control panel and connect to icons changed to normal windows folder icons. When I open the control panel the icon at the top right looks like a windows media player file icon. The run and search icons are just missing and there's a "no picture provided" type icon in their places. Also I'm missing some of my connections in my network connections folder. I wouldn't normally care about this except I tried to connect a router to my computer that is supposed to work for xp but I can't get the program to even set up the network and I'm thinking this has something to do with it. The router works on my sister's computer and the program installed but when I go to set up the router it won't start the procedure. Anyone have any ideas on how to fix this?

Computer specs:
HP Pavillion 762 n
Windows XP Home edition (w/SP2)
Pentium 4 2.26 GHz
512mb RAM
80gig HDD
40gig HDD (secondary)

I run my virus scanner everyday and don't have any viruses. As for spyware I don't believe I have any since I don't normally go to web pages that would put any on my computer and I use Firefox as my web browser.

 

The first thing I thought of is system restore. Click Start > All Programs > Accessories > System Tools > System Restore and select a date when you remember everything being 'normal'. Hopefully that will do it and hopefully you haven't disabled system restore

 

I thought of doing that but in cleaning I cleaned all the old restore points like an idiot. Any other ideas? :-(