I've been colonized!

[loavesandfishes]

Has anyone here ever heard of having a colony of ants take over your computer? We have ants in our house (my roommates are heathens in the cleanliness department!) and two days ago when I picked up my old iBook, I found ants swarming in and out of it!
It's kind of old so it's not under warrantee anymore. Does anyone have any words of advice?!? I've put it on our back porch in a storage container but everytime I open it, more of them come crawling out!

 

[Quantos]

Get the following.

1) Screwdrivers
2) Compressed air

Have fun outside.


EDIT:

Did you ever eat / drink near the computer (Crumbs / spills ??)
Never heard of ants invading a computer except in the movies.

I know the original tube computers used to have a moth problem (AKA BUGS in the systme) but other than that never heard of it. Sounds like it needs a really good cleaning.


That or the apples gone bad.

 

[Quantos]

Follow up, your not the first.

http://webquest.org/bdodge/2002/11/ants-invade-ibook.html

 

[loavesandfishes]

Thanks Quantos... I got some air but I'm still having problems taking the thing apart. I thought I knew from screw drivers but I don't know what kind of screws are holding my lap top together. They look like an Allen wrench should fit but they're star-shaped almost.
I called Apple's help line and the girl on the phone couldn't stop laughing. Not that I blame her; if it was happening to anyone but me, I'd probably chuckle too.

No food or drink near the computer. Never.

 

[Quantos]

It sounds like there using security screws, (normal in lots of products)

Go to you local computer store (Comp USA may carry them), or Radio Shack
(Note: Above stores are assuming your in the USA, your location may varry)
And ask for a security screw driver. shouldnt cost a whole lot for a set of diffrent sizes.

 

[Arnediad]

You'll want 'torx' screwdrivers, actually - I've never heard them referred to as 'security' screwdrivers.

 

[rdale]

Hey, be glad they are ants, not hornets and mice...

Sometimes, when we get a good gully-washer... carpenter ants will come into the house. Boric acid works pretty well when they visit. Suppose you could carefully sprinkle a little inside your case.(not all over the place... just a bit on the case bottom ;^)).

Maybe you could put your computer inside a large plastic trashbag, like you would use for leaves and such. Then fumigate your PC with some type of ant killer... don't know.

More ideas here:
http://www.safe2use.com/pests/carpenter-ants/ant-carpenter.htm

 

[chritophera]

Another thing that works well is smoke. It won't damage the components if you use a bug bomb. It will drive the ants nuts and get them out of the computer.
You could also put some honey on the other side of the container and when the come out......SQUISH....

 

[loavesandfishes]

Thanks for all the good advice guys.
I took it in to Office Max last night and they were Torx screwheads all right. Now I just have to find some information about how to open up my lap top a little more. I popped the keyboard off and found a pile of larvae underneath it (if you've never seen ant larvae, don't go looking!) but I'm not so sure how to move the screen and stuff.
I figure since i don't have a warrantee and I've been able to save most of my documents off on a floppy, I may as well tear it apart and learn something right?