Hard drives and ants!!

[The Seabat]

I had a 60 gb hard drive stored in an anti-static plastic bag on a
shelf for less than a year. When I took it down to install it in a
computer, it was loaded with a bunch of ants. I tapped it a couple
of times and about twenty or thirty ant fell out of it. What's the
attraction for the ants? Could this be the answer to why I have a
lot of hard drive failures over the years? Is it possible that the
ants are gumming up the works some how?? Can I safely spray the hell
out of the inside of my cases with an insecticide so that none of
the parts are endangered??

Or am I just spitting into the wind here??

 

[Howard Goldstein]

: I had a 60 gb hard drive stored in an anti-static plastic bag on a
: shelf for less than a year. When I took it down to install it in a
: computer, it was loaded with a bunch of ants. I tapped it a couple
: of times and about twenty or thirty ant fell out of it. What's the
: attraction for the ants? Could this be the answer to why I have a
: lot of hard drive failures over the years? Is it possible that the
: ants are gumming up the works some how?? Can I safely spray the hell
: out of the inside of my cases with an insecticide so that none of
: the parts are endangered??

I've had this problem as well but I never encountered them in there
living. I cleaned out the nest with a vacuum. I wouldn't go spraying
stuff in there in case it's corrosive or conductive. Lately I've been
using combat bait gel to knock out these little pharoah ants that
nothing else will kill and it seems to be doing the trick... Maybe if
you put the drive back and set some of the gel out next to it in a
week it'll have taken them out?

:
: Or am I just spitting into the wind here??
:

That, maybe

 

[JAD]

I had a 60 gb hard drive stored in an anti-static plastic bag on a
shelf for less than a year.

first question here would be if its in a bag how did the ants get in? a bag with the one
side open?


When I took it down to install it in a

computer, it was loaded with a bunch of ants. I tapped it a couple
of times and about twenty or thirty ant fell out of it.

out of the breather/barometric hole? Wow, I have never seen that before!


What's the

attraction for the ants? Could this be the answer to why I have a
lot of hard drive failures over the years?

doubtful...but.....if the rig is in the same place as it is now for all the
failures...then I guess its plausable

Is it possible that the

ants are gumming up the works some how?? Can I safely spray the hell
out of the inside of my cases with an insecticide so that none of
the parts are endangered??

overkill...find the nest and kill at the source

 

[Chris Darwin]

I had a 60 gb hard drive stored in an anti-static plastic bag on a
shelf for less than a year. When I took it down to install it in a
computer, it was loaded with a bunch of ants. I tapped it a couple
of times and about twenty or thirty ant fell out of it. What's the
attraction for the ants? Could this be the answer to why I have a
lot of hard drive failures over the years? Is it possible that the
ants are gumming up the works some how?? Can I safely spray the hell
out of the inside of my cases with an insecticide so that none of
the parts are endangered??

Or am I just spitting into the wind here??

Ants come in the house because they smell food. Seal everything including
the garbage can.

I live under the end of an airport runway and the big jets cause the house
to vibrate. I found out this shortens the life of harddrives. My HD's used
to die about once a year. Just got an Antec case that has anti vibe mounts
on the harddrive bays. It also has anti vibe pads on the case bottom.

You can also put a foam mat under your case.

 

[John Doe]

I live under the end of an airport runway and the big jets cause
the house to vibrate.

Ouch. If you have any interest whatsoever in gaming and haven't
already, spend some time playing a flight simulator like Flight
Simulator 2004. Whether it will help much, watching the heavies land
will be a new and pleasant experience.