OK everyone I found it. here is a description of the settings
This option controls how threads and forums are marked as read.
- Inactivity/Cookie Based - once a user has been inactive for a certain amount of time (the value of the session timeout option) all threads and forums are considered read. Individual threads are marked as read within a session via cookies.
This option is how all versions of vBulletin before 3.5 functioned.
- Database (no automatic forum marking) - this option uses the database to store thread and forum read times. This allows accurate read markers to be kept indefinitely. However, in order for a forum to be marked read when all threads are read, the user must view the list of threads for that forum.
This option is more space and processor intensive than inactivity-based marking.
- Database (automatic forum marking) - this option is the same as a previous option, but forums are automatically marked as read when the last new thread is read.
This is the most usable option for end users, but most processor intensive.
It was marked cookie based but I changed it to #3, so by today forward your reads should stick.
Also you can mark all thread / posts read by using either two links.
1) "quick link" in the menu under the "welcome (your user name)" upper right hand corner.
2) "forum links" or something to that effect in the same spot when in a general section of the forums.
Both these links give you a wide verity of options and features.
Please keep these types of things coming. vB is great but there's about 1000 options to set vs phpBB's 3
