The 2 games you mentioned should be on your Windows installation disk (I just checked both my 98 and XP systems.)
It's possible only the shortcuts got balled up somehow- you can test this by typing mshearts in the RUN box from the start menu, then hit the enter key. If the game comes up, then the game should be intact and accessible. Use your find function, and do a search for HEARTS; if you get a hit for mshearts.exe, you can right click that file, the left click the send-to, and pick 'Desktop (create shortcut), which will send the shortcut to your desktop. You can rename the shortcut w/out any harm. Once you have the shorcut, right-click it, then left click properties. In the Target box, you should see the path to Hearts; you can copy the entire line, including the quotation marks, go back to the corrupted shortcut icon and paste it into THAT target box. You may have to copy the information in the ''Start In'' box from the properties of the newly created icon and paste that into the old shortcut properies. Or, simply delete the old shortcuts, and drag the newly created ones to wherever.
Alternatively, you can go to add/remove programs, Windows Components (think that's what it's called), Accessories>games. Uncheck Games to uninstall it; after the uninstall, reverse the process, by checking games; you may be prompted for the Windows CD- Since you have a Dell, this may be called your Recovery CD. But it also may be on your hardrive in the Cabs folder if you have a 98 system, or the I396 folder if XP- these may hidden folders, btw.
Hope this makes sense and is of some help. Good luck.
Brandon
Some time ago, I created a shortcut for Games and moved it from Programs to the Start Menu list for quick access. My problem began, when I tried to remove Hearts from the Game group and put it on the Start Menu list and move the rest of the games in 'Game' back to Programs. (Yes, that wasn't very smart). The majority of the previous icons associated with each game turned into Word icons. FreeCell game has a DVD icon and now opens up with WMP. Hearts game file has an icon which I cannot identify and does not open when clicked---there is no response at all. How do I convert these game files back to their original files?
.
The CDs Dell sent me, when I originally purchased my pc from them three years ago, does not have the game files included. Any chance I can get the game files from them, after such a long period of time?

Chowhound
Comic Vine
GameFAQs
GameSpot
Giant Bomb
TechRepublic