Ants In My Laptop!

[girlx]

my laptop has been infested by tiny ants... this happened to a previous laptop and it killed it... any idea how to get rid of them so i don't lose this one?

[Guest Reimar]

my laptop has been infested by tiny ants... this happened to a previous laptop and it killed it... any idea how to get rid of them so i don't lose this one?

i don't know it will works but if you've ant's in an pot with sugar they will "run" away if you place the pot in the full sunlight! May you try that with the laptop?!

[zzSleepyJohn]

my laptop has been infested by tiny ants... this happened to a previous laptop and it killed it... any idea how to get rid of them so i don't lose this one?

Don't switch it on, but put it out in the hot sun, so that they walk out of their own accord. Don't let it get too hot, though, no more than say 55 - 60degC. Depends on whether they've nested and laid eggs inside, whether you need to open it all up and brush them out. Don't spray or they'll die inside!

+ SJ

[Veazer]

my laptop has been infested by tiny ants... this happened to a previous laptop and it killed it... any idea how to get rid of them so i don't lose this one?

Personally, I would open the case, or have it done for you, and have them cleaned out asap. If they brought food in they might be more likely to stay. It's good to periodically have your laptop cleaned out anyway, all the dust tends to clog the fans and heatsinks and make the laptop run a little warmer.

I had this problem briefly before but they left on their own within 2 days so i didn't bother. The same type of little ants destroyed the tweeter cones on my friend's expensive speakers at his recording studio.

[RedCardinal]

my laptop has been infested by tiny ants... this happened to a previous laptop and it killed it... any idea how to get rid of them so i don't lose this one?

Hoover on full whack might help also. Hoover the keyboard and all openings on the box.

But if you want to be sure best bet is open it up and clean it very meticulously. Or get someone to do this for you.

[girlx]

i wouldn't mind opening it up myself to clean it, but is there anything i should watch out for? electric shock or something?

[monty]

Until you get it cleaned out, make sure to keep the battery removed and the main power unplugged.

It's not actually the ants damaging the machine, but tiny electrical shortcuts created by their presence, especially eggs etc. No electric supply means no current to damage anything.

Depending on the brand opening a laptop can a bit diffcult, and putting it together even more so!

Even though I'm pretty tech savvy, I tend to refer any laptop problems to laptop shops, apart from maybe some 4 year old dinosaur model laptop

[girlx]

thanks, i will try to take it in then!

[billp]

You could try this:

remove the battery, allow to cool, place in plastic bag in a nice COLD freezer for a few hours, at least overnight.

allow to thaw _thoroughly_ before attempting to use to give a chance for any moisture to evaporate.

either that or surface spray

(messy, may damage certain plastics, hard to apply, wont get everywhere without thorough dissasembly. )

once you've killed them all then you can vacumn out as many as you can...

the thawing process is most important, you dont want condensate forming and shorting things out...

using some kind of water crystals to create a dry environment to thaw in wouldnt hurt either.

standard disclaimer applies, if you break it it's not my fault.

jpowermacg4

[koto]

my laptop has been infested by tiny ants... this happened to a previous laptop and it killed it... any idea how to get rid of them so i don't lose this one?

Hoover on full whack might help also. Hoover the keyboard and all openings on the box.

But if you want to be sure best bet is open it up and clean it very meticulously. Or get someone to do this for you.

Aloha (Don't) Hoover, I tried that after a friend told me to and I sucked a key

[ballbreaker]

thanks, i will try to take it in then!

It sounds like you are a person that likes to eat and type at the keyboard since this is the second computer with this problem. Once you are rid of the ants try not eating while using your computer.

[webfact]

Let me tell you my story. I bought a brand new notebook (made in Taiwan) a few month ago, in Canada.

It's always placed on a table where is no food around or even anything which might smell or taste like food. But I don't know ants taste yet...

Since 2 days, I have the same problem as OP and got no idea where this little creatures came from.

I guess I bought the notebook with an ant community already living inside and who knows when and why they come alive, out of the blue...

Edited October 20, 2008 by webfact

[simcity]

Ants are attracted by electric components.

Many road lights use to get short circuit by ants.

Perhaps if problem persist the best will be to stop them access, at the table’s legs put a plastic cup with water.