I am also having this annoying problem.
Checking all the right boxes in the Folder options works for a while, but every now and then, there will a certain folder that keeps going back to that damn tiles view.
A solution would be to change the actual default view setting to the one you want thru the registry or something like that. Obviously, using the Folder Options view tab doesn't change the default setting, because there are folders that revert back to the "default" after you've supposedly changed the "default" setting.....
anyway, here's something that might help:
http://www.bootdisk.com/bootlist/088.htm
It's about half way down the page under the heading:
'Increase XP Folder Settings From 400 To 8,000'
Haven't tried it yet but it seems like just a temporary fix, instead getting down to the true problem....
cheers