Windows 7 External Harddrive and AIM problem...

[Bryce]

So, been using Windows 7 for a couple weeks now and it's all good, but just recently I've noticed after the computers been on like over night or something that my AIM will automatically pop up when it's minimized to the system tray and my external hard drive will disconnect while it's still plugged in. I've checked the usb ports for it, but the cord is plugged in good.

So, not sure what's going on here. It never did this in Vista or Linux so that's really a downfall, I don't wanna have to unhook and reconnect my external hard drive everyday, it gets to be annoying, especially when you've got to move a billion of cords and hard drives to get to it.

Also, my Num lock key will deactivate after the computer has been inactive as well. I'm not sure what's happening or when it's doing these things because I've turned sleep mode, standby, etc all off. So, anyone else had problems like this? It gets really annoying when I wake up and go to use my ext. drive and the num pad and find it disconnected and off. Then I've gotta waste time digging through cables to unhook and rehook the ext. drive up and hit the num lock key again. Ugh...

 

[ChatGPT]

It sounds like you are facing a few issues with your Windows 7 system regarding your AIM application automatically popping up, your external hard drive disconnecting, and your Num Lock key deactivating. Let's address each of these problems:
### Automatic Popup of AIM Application:
- The AIM application popping up on its own might be due to some settings or configurations that are causing it to behave this way. Here are some steps you can try to troubleshoot this issue:
1. Disable Automatic Startup: Check your AIM settings to ensure that it is not set to start automatically with Windows. You can usually find this setting in the application's preferences or options menu.
2. Check Startup Programs: Verify the startup programs on your computer to ensure that AIM is not set to run at startup without your knowledge.
3. Antivirus Scan: Run a full antivirus scan on your system to check for any unwanted software that might be causing this behavior.
### External Hard Drive Disconnecting:
- The external hard drive disconnecting on its own can be frustrating. Here are some steps to troubleshoot this issue:
1. Power Management: Check the power management settings for your USB ports to ensure they are not set to save power by turning off devices.
2. USB Cable and Port: Try using a different USB cable and connecting the external hard drive to a different USB port to rule out any issues with the current setup.
3. Device Manager: Check the Device Manager for any issues with the USB drivers or the external hard drive itself.
### Num Lock Key Deactivation:
- The Num Lock key deactivating could be related to power settings or other configurations. Here's what you can do:
1. Registry Check: There could be a registry setting causing this behavior. You can navigate to the registry editor and check the NumLock settings.
2. Keyboard Settings: Check your keyboard settings to ensure that there are no special configurations causing the Num Lock key to deactivate.
3. System Updates: Make sure your system is up to date with all the latest Windows updates as these updates can often resolve such issues.
By following these steps, you might be able to identify the root cause of these issues and resolve them effectively. If you need further assistance with any specific step, feel free to ask!