Why does vista randomlly shift views?

Every time i open a folder iin vista the view options are random - from extra large icons to details. is this normal?

Example - i'll open up 'my computer and it will show extra large icons, close and open again and it will be tiles, close and open again and it's small icons.
It's really annoying as i dont want to have to click the view tab every time i open a folder. anyone else come across this.
I'm using vista64 with sp1.
spybot scanned + avg scanned no probs.

Have you tried any of these methods.

http://www.vistax64.com/tutorials/ [...] tings.html

I'm interested too. I'm too lazy to try it until I know if it really works.

I never realized others were having this trouble.
I dont have the problem.
I may have some insight into this.
I read Badges answer and it seems logical and useful.

I have never had troubles with my folders changing in Vista once I changed them initially, as I always do on any computer that I use.
I cant stand the icons and much prefer the details.

I did it by going to wexplorer|tools|folder options etc...
I know it looks the same but perhaps its not.
EDIT I mean that it looks the same as doing it through control panel.
As we all know wexplorer is responsible for all things non internet and I believe possibly that is where you need to make the change.

I dont know for sure this is true but try this and be sure to goto file exit when you are finished.
Please note: Older versions of windows required the use of file|exit to save settings as compared to just clicking the X.
I know this also used to apply to Office and Pagemaker(before Adobe?) products. It could be a throwback and may still apply.

Here is what happens: you go to explorer and view a folder, say for ex. a bunch of video files, and you see the files listed as 'icons', so you decide you'd rather see the 'details' view and you set it for details and it works so then you decide you'd like to fix it once and for all so you got to 'tools' folder options' 'view' and you 'apply to all folders' and for a time this will work but inevitably it will switch back to some other view.

I see ppl having this problem all over the web and I'm quite amazed you guys are not having it.

The only time it happens to me is I access a external HDD.
I think this may be due to the fact that I have never loaded any drivers for it.
I just let windows put the drivers together when I plug it in which goes against what I know USB usually requires.

Could it possibly be due to User accounts?
I ask this because I only have the one account I use (basically administrator).
Do you guys have more than one account at login?

The only other thing I can think of offhand is to be sure to use the exit command and not the X in the corner as we all do ordinarily.
Somehow built in to the exit command is (was)a save setting attribute.

If not that then possibly a different brand of beer.
It is Windows and we know they're watching....

Perhaps it is the details listed or thumbnails.
My details are date|type|size|tags
As for the thumbnails, mine show at the bottom of the screen.
Im not sure if that is normal now. Ive seen them on the side and even hover.
Sometimes its hard to tell what version of windows Im on without looking.