08-25-2008, 02:43 AM
well---you shouldn't assume that the issues are related yet. To figure out the sleep problem, unhook anything that's easily removable from the computer, put it to sleep, and try to wake it up. If that fixes the issue, it was probably one of the peripherals. If that doesn't fix the issue, remove any PCI cards that you have installed in the computer. If that doesn't work, I'm not sure what to tell you--maybe a fresh install of the OS would be in order.
The external drive issue that you described may just an issue with the enclosure (or a cable or the drive in the enclosure). Try different combinations of things to see if it makes a difference. If the enclosure of the drive is bad, you can remove the drive and use it in another case, or possibly inside your computer.
To troubleshoot issues like this, start with the easiest things, and keep trying things systematically, until you're able to narrow down the issue.
The external drive issue that you described may just an issue with the enclosure (or a cable or the drive in the enclosure). Try different combinations of things to see if it makes a difference. If the enclosure of the drive is bad, you can remove the drive and use it in another case, or possibly inside your computer.
To troubleshoot issues like this, start with the easiest things, and keep trying things systematically, until you're able to narrow down the issue.