Named DVRs just "leave" the menu - Is there a quick way to get them back?

Huh?  I don't follow your question.

A properly installed and configured system should not "drop" any networked DVR's or receivers.  To determine if your system is correct we'd need a lot more details.  Receiver model numbers, how they are networked, whether you're connected to the Internet and how, etc.?

"Dropped off" means the recorded shows on it don't show up in the "list" menu of past recordings and the "status" info in the set-up under Whole-Home doesn't show it in that list (so it isn't being "recognized" or interacted/communicated with).

I have 6 DVRs and 2 receivers. They were just upgraded last week to the swm/DECA/Whole-Home system. I think I have at least one of every HD DVR. HR22-100 (x 2), HR21-200, HR21-100S, HR21-700, HR20-100S, H21-100, H24-200. Good luck with that.

The firest one that dropped off the list in the other rooms with the HR20-100S. It, and one other, are older models that are set up with splitter because apparently the power for the DECA comes out of the wrong coax input on the DVR. So one side has a DECA and the other has a filter. I reset with the button fixed that. More recently, the newest HR22-100 (just a few days old) dropped off, and a reset brought it back.

I read in some other threads that a rest essentially fixes this problem so that it doesn't return.http://forums.directv.com/message/10750414#10750414

On a similar note, after the install, the HR20100S didn't show up in the system, and I called the supervisor and he told me how to do a forced software upgrade. Worked like a champ.

Just FYI, the install took three guys. The first guy failed miserably after trying to figure it out for 6 hours (till 9:30 at night). He was almost in tears because the two hours training they gave him wasn't sufficient to get the job done as he didn't know he had to get rid of my 4/16 signal amp/multiswitch thingy that operated the dual line system (which I suspected was necessary given what an earlier tech from the week before had told me) He was on the phone with his supervisor all night, to no avail. The supervisor also spent about 4 hours, and he knew a whole lot more, though he still had to do some consulting. I think his boss even showed up at the end.

Clearly this stuff is a little more complex (and different) than what these guys have been doing for years and it will take a while to get everyone up to speed.

Anyway, I think I'm good now.

just to be clear the only receiver that needs "special" treatment is the HR20-100, this receivers need a 2 way splitter and a BSF filter, all others just gets a DECA adapter with the exception of the 24 series which has them built in