Every time I open My computer I get the 8 of the following messages:

"To use sharing folder, you need to sign in to Windows Live Messenger"

I don't use Windows Live Messenger (though my children do use MSN and rather annoyingly I get MSN popping up with messages in my account, so I know it is there). All shared directories are shared correctly.

I have just changed from a Netgear router to a BTHomehub and have changed settings, so this may have something to do with it.

I am running XP SP3 and using a wireless network.

Any ideas about this?

Windows may be set to "automatically connect" or "reconnect on boot" or "automatically syncronize" a remote share folder; to which, you need to log in via Live Messenger, in order to have access to that folder/feature.

From what I have read about windows live messenger, there's a feature that allows two users of live messenger to have a common "shared folder" between the two remote users, but they must be logged into live messenger in order to syncronize/access the content of the folder. Do you want your family member sharing a local folder with a remote user?