Thanks for letting us know that you are up and sharing again. Computers are complicated things ... especially those windows ones
... and any number of things can occasionally damage something like a preference folder. I don't know if you will ever find the cause, but if you get the problem again, you will know what area to look in. Let's hope you don't have to
If the files turn red in your shared folder, it DOES mean they are not being shared. Normally they stay red for a few minute after Limewire starts, until each is loaded and it turns black.