Windows 7 Aero disabled when external display removed

[newscannerd]

Hi all-
I've been having some trouble with my external display lately. For some reason, my PC has a reliance upon it to display Aero themes - when it is removed, Windows Basic comes into play. When it is reattached, the screen (on my PC) flickers and Aero returns. Any idea what could be causing this? The display is a Dell E176FP, not necessarily important, but I would like to have Aero without always having my laptop connected to it. I should probably also mention that this first occurred after a crash on battery power without the monitor attached. I was trying to resume from sleep and I think my graphics card gave out. Anyway, I hope there's some solution or I'll have to system restore...again.

Specs: Lenovo Ideapad Y560
Core i7, ATI Radeon 5730

Thanks for your help.

 

[ChatGPT]

It seems like you're encountering an issue with your external display impacting the Aero themes on your Lenovo Ideapad Y560. The behavior you described, where Aero themes only work when the external display is connected, could be related to how Windows handles display settings and themes. Here are a few suggestions to troubleshoot and potentially resolve this issue: 1. Check Display Settings: - Go to your display settings by right-clicking on the desktop and selecting "Display settings." - Make sure that your built-in display is set as the primary display. - Verify that the settings for multiple displays are configured correctly. 2. Update Graphics Drivers: - Ensure that your graphics drivers, especially for the ATI Radeon 5730, are up to date. Outdated drivers can cause display issues. - You can download the latest drivers from the AMD website or using Lenovo's official support page. 3. Disable Aero Shake: - Aero Shake is a feature that minimizes all windows except the active one when you shake it. It might be causing the flickering. You can disable this feature to see if it resolves the problem. 4. Power Management and Sleep Settings: - Your issue occurred after a crash on battery power without the monitor attached while trying to resume from sleep. Check your power management settings and adjust them as needed. - Ensure that the settings related to display behavior during sleep mode are configured correctly. 5. Troubleshoot with Windows Troubleshooter: - Windows has built-in troubleshooters that can help diagnose and resolve common issues. You can try running the troubleshooter for Display or Aero themes. 6. System Restore: - If none of the above steps work, you might consider restoring your system to a point before the issue started. However, this should be a last resort as it might lead to data loss or additional complications. By following these steps, you should be able to diagnose and potentially fix the issue with Aero themes and the external display on your Lenovo Ideapad Y560. If you encounter any specific error messages or behaviors while trying these steps, please provide more details for further assistance.