Thanks for that Mike.

I'm getting a new laptop - it will have W8 64-bit on it

From what you say:

Ideally then I would want to

a) install SQL Server 2008 R2 SP1 (SQLEXPRWT_x64_ENU.exe)

b) Install R6 - this is the bit you haven't been able to do yet but are working on

I assume SQL 2012 comes as a free Express version as do the other versions?

I could try installing SQL 2012 64-bit and then install R6 using the installation version 4.1. (This is item 2 in "what hasn't been tried yet"). In view of the problems I've had recently what I don't want to do is to end up in a mess on a new machine.

I have just bought a new Toshiba satellite 64 bit Windows 8 laptop specifically for testing with Windows 8 and Recorder 6 . I installed the 64 bit version of SQL Server 2008 (the one recommended for Windows  7, 64 bit machine on www.Recorder6.info) This warned of a compatibility issue, but on checking I found  you can continue and then should upgrade to Service Pack 1. Installation of this completed and I was able to open the tools, but I had to enter the instance name as the browse didn't show it.  Only other thing is that the installation sometimes takes a while to respond without showing any messages. 

I then tried an R6 install. The main thing to remember here is to changed the default folder. I just changed it to C:\Recorder6. The instance name needed to be entered. This is usually the machine name, backslash and the SQLExpress (eg, mikesmachine\SqlExpress).  Recorder then installed and I have been able to run it, although I have not carried out a full check.

Haven't upgraded to SQL server 2008 to SP1 yet, but R6 runs without it.

Can't promise there will not be problem with an install on another machine, but does look like it should  work.

I've had a go at installing SQL Server 2008 and R6 on a new computer.

The machine I now have is an Acer Aspire running Windows 8 64-bit. I thought readers might like to see how I got on with this being W8 64-bit..

I used the R6 Installation Guide V4.1

Downloaded the correct zipped file from the Download Centre and started to install SQL Express 2008 R2.
Early on in the installation bizarrely at about Step 9 one of the Support Rules read "Failed" and "Restart Computer" . So I restarted the computer and started the installation all over again. All went OK until step 7 when I got a message "Microsoft Common Language Runtime native compiler has stopped working". Not knowing what to do here and to get out of a loop I clicked on Cancel several times and the install started moving on again. At Instance Configuration I named the instance "SQLExpressBob" - note lower and upper case. I wrote this down so that I did not get it wrong.  At Step 11 Server Configuration I noticed that SQL Server Database Engine was set to Automatic and SQL Server Browser was set to Disabled. I did not try to change anything. Just clicked Next.

At Step 12 selected Mixed Mode and entered a password as requested, writing it down. > Next. Step 13 - elected not to send error reports to Microsoft. Then reached the Installation Progress Window. About 30% way through the install I got the "native compiler" error again.  I clicked on Cancel again about a dozen times in frustration and the install started jogging along again. This happened several times. Eventually at Step 14 I got the Complete window

Now to the R6 install....

I downloaded the files from the Recorder site. This took about 30 minutes. Extracte files and clicked on the .exe

I went through System Requirements, changed the default folder to C:\Recorder6\ as recommended  .I went through Site Settings and Spatial Reference System stages.

I have a problem at Select Existing SQL Server. If I click on the dropdown there is nothing in there. If I type in BOB-PC\SQLEXPRESSBOB (typing in the instance name always comes out as upper case) and then "Use my Windows account to log in", I get a message" The SQL Server instance name you have provided does not appear to be valid. Please recheck it". I've checked to see that I've got the machine name right and the instance name right. Any idea how I can proceed further?

There were some compatibility problems with the standalone install. We installed a network version from a CD insteadinstead and this was OK.