If anyone has come across this huge annoyance, the answer is right here:
-MS Forum
It annoyed me so much having Vista open up my media folders in the 'details' view...and having to specify on each individual folder...for too long. No more!
Be aware that the 'Apply to Folders' option only affects folders of the
same type or template, e.g. 'All Items', 'Documents', 'Pics & Video', etc.
So if you want to set list view as the default for all the major folder
types, you need to use 'Apply to Folders' five times, once from each type of
folder.
That being said, you can force the 'All Items' template on to
all folders with the following:
Copy the text between the lines below into notepad & save as a .reg file.
Watch out for line wrap -- [HKEY_CURRENT_USER\...\Shell] is all one line,
there is a space between 'Local' and 'Settings'.
--------------------------------------------------
Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00
[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Classes\Local Settings\Software\Microsoft\Windows\Shell\Bags\AllFolders\Shell]
"FolderType"="NotSpecified"
--------------------------------------------------
Merging the .reg file will set the 'All Items' template for any folders that
don't currently have a view saved with a different template. You can clear
all saved views by deleting the
"HKCU\Software\Classes\Local Settings\Software\Microsoft\Windows\Shell\Bags"
key BEFORE merging the .reg file. If any folders open with a different
template after clearing the 'Bags' key & merging the .reg file, they most
likely have a template specified via their desktop.ini file.
-MS Forum
It annoyed me so much having Vista open up my media folders in the 'details' view...and having to specify on each individual folder...for too long. No more!