f**k it, I'm doing a fully formatted fresh install today. I'll only restore my Home data from Time machine. Apps I'll just download fresh. Lots of business stuff to take super-safe backups of first (Time Machine obviously plus hard backup to another external). Then I'm just gonna tear it a new one. Back to 100% formatted, new Snow Leopard, then install Lion over the top. Restore Home folder from Time Machine. Download my apps. Can't get any fresher than that. Probs take a while to get fully setup again with registrations and VPN etc. but I reckon it's worth the effort. Then Time Machine the new system. Good to go, and fresh as a daisy for TMing onto future Macs.
Maybe it's needless, but it's how I like to roll. Lean mean trollin machine FTW.
FYI Paragon NTFS seems to rinse MacFuse for write speeds. Seems pretty much native to me. Thanks for the recommendation. I forget who it was. It's my age.