@ Enoesque73

 When (if) you do recover factory settings/ reinstall, follow these tips: (took me 3 attemps to get it just right.)

- System partition size (assuming your files are stored on a different partition): minimum 40Gb, 60Gb ideal, more if you have plenty space to spear.  (More info available on how to keep system size to a minimum, on demand.)

- Restore your schedule and settings with MCE Back-up 2.0 and restart.  Make sure MC works normally at every step of the way.

- Enable system restore and install partition back-up software of your choice (Acronis or Comodo recommended)

- Download and Install  Sp1, then Sp2, then install remaining relevant updates.

- Install codec packs only if absolutely necessary, and after a full back-up.

- Now feel free to install other software you normally use, again step by step, making sure none interfere with MC's normal functioning.

 Have fun!

 @jcinvan

 Yes, I used the method you described to set up the new Recorded TV Storage location and to stop watching the previous folder.  As you said earlier, the TempRec folder was correctly created in the new location, but VMC still seemed to be watching the old location.

@CyberSimian

Yes I used regedit as well to search for any rogue instances of my old Recorded TV location to ensure there were none left.  My TrackedFolders list was quite small, and this wasn't a problem.

It's my own fault really that I didn't keep a backup - as jcinvan said, I should have been able to roll back to a known good backup, but I hadn't kept them all :-(

I've got a Win7 Enterprise copy from work now, so I'm trying to install that - having taken a backup of my VMC so I can roll back to it if Win7 goes wrong!

I'll let you know what happens.

Thanks

eno

 I have over 700 on my VMC and it takes about 15 secons to load. I recently moved them to Windows home server it seems to take about the same time, I would have thought over the network would be slower so the icons and recorded tv data must be cached localy. I for a short time tried Windows 7 and it loads them all in about 1 second, much faster. I returned to Vista due to Back to Back hard padding on same channel record issue with Windows 7 I could not resolve. I prefer reliable over speed. If deselct the home server folder and just record to my VMC hard drive 20 or so programs load almost instant. It seems Vista speed is proportional to the number of TV programs and Windows 7 does not seem to matter. I came here to see if I could speed it up but obviously not. In my mind speed is the only issue that Windows 7 offers over Vista.

 @jcinvan

Thanks again for all your help.

In the end I installed Windows 7, and so far it's working really well - much faster with the same number of media files.

I haven't needed to install any codecs either, and it plays MOV files straight out the box.

I'd recommend it.

Cheers

eno

 Thanks for the feedback and the update, glad things are working out well for you. Another thumbs up for Win 7! Seems like the folks at MS are really outdoing themselves this time around, finally! Must have hired someone from Apple...