Those kind of Tech Support Calls... (1 Viewer)

[Chris]

Tech Support Call Gone Bad
Probably.. well.. maybe.. not real. But very wild indeed!

 

[Don Black]

Oh great. Now I'm afraid to put my feet near my mid-tower...

 

[Jason Guardiano]

lol

I'll be more careful when I open up the old computer case

 

[Jay H]

Not too inconcievable, a PC case is dark, typically warm and hopefully dry. Just hope the snake doesn't short anything or hit any fans Although I can't imagine one couldn't differentiate a snake hiss versus a PC buzz...
Folks who keep tarantulas and stuff say if they ever get loose, they'll often wind up in heating ducts or the bathroom, because they are generally the warmest parts of the house and are also generally more humid than the rest of the house, two things that spiders and tarantulas tend to like.
Jay

 

[Kevin P]

I've heard of computer bugs, computer viruses and computer worms but that tops them all!
Now Symantec needs to add a snake repellant to their anti-virus software!
KJP

 

[Joseph DeMartino]

Probably.. well.. maybe.. not real.

Maybe? Probably? Try absolutely.
1) The snake would have had to willing stuck its head into a spinning fan blade. Unlikely.
2) It would then have to pass through an enclosed power supply without frying itself.
3) Having done that it would have to press itself through some thin air slots, which are the only points of exit from said power supply.
4) It would then have to crawl into the PC, turn itself around, go back through the power supply, stick its head in the spinning blades again and then electrocute itself. All the while being considerate enough to make sure its body would be entirely visible and easy to photograph once the cover came off.
Yeah, that happened.
Regards,
Joe

 

[John Spencer]

So what are you saying, Joe?

 

[Dave Poehlman]

The snake would have had to willing stuck its head into a spinning fan blade. Unlikely.

Who said it was on when the snake went in there? It's entirely possible for a snake to crawl in there. Like said above, it's a warm dark place. Snakes being cold blooded are always looking for a warm place. My brother used to own a boa constrictor. One night it's heat lamp burned out and the snake managed to get out of it's tank... and crawl into bed with my brother's feet.

I don't believe the silly little story at the top.. but I don't think it's meant to be serious.

 

[Ryan Wright]

3) Having done that it would have to press itself through some thin air slots, which are the only points of exit from said power supply.

4) It would then have to crawl into the PC, turn itself around, go back through the power supply, stick its head in the spinning blades again and then electrocute itself. All the while being considerate enough to make sure its body would be entirely visible and easy to photograph once the cover came off.

Who said it ever left the power supply? The pictures show an obviously fried snake in a power supply. At no time did it say the snake actually moved through the tiny vent holes into the computer case itself. Looks like it simply went into the power supply, hung out there for awhile, and was in the process of leaving when the computer was turned on.

This story is entirely possible.

 

[Kevin P]

If you read the description, the computer's owner said "...this morning when I turned it on there was a crackling noise..." That would imply that the computer was off at the point that the snake crawled in to the power supply.

The snake's head was sticking out of the PSU fan vent when the computer was turned on. Since its body was touching the PSU circuit board and the grounded metal chassis this is probably how it got fried.

I wonder how long the snake was in there. It was in there for that night, at least, maybe longer, and it only was discovered when it happened to short out the PSU.

KJP

 

[Lee L]

Why would flipping the power switch enabling 5 volts to go to the MB electrocute the snake, but the always hot 230v supply his tail was touching not hurt him one bit?

Also, I don't think little snakes like that hiss, certainly not loudly enough to hear over a PC on the floor.

 

[Joseph DeMartino]

At no time did it say the snake actually moved through the tiny vent holes into the computer case itself.

But the other pictures show the snake's body neatly displayed inside the case, draped over the expansion cards.

See the comment on the "always hot power supply" above. Also the description mentions the hissing sound the night before when the computer was in use.

Regards,

Joe

 

[Ryan Wright]

Also the description mentions the hissing sound the night before when the computer was in use.

It says nothing about the computer being in use the night before. It just says "my computer was making a strange hissing noise last night."

 

[Joel Mack]

Nevermind. Ryan beat me to it.

 

[Kevin P]

It's also possible that the computer was turned on/off via a power strip, meaning no voltage existed in the power supply at all until the power strip was switched on.

If it was a ATX-type motherboard and the AC was live (even with the computer off), the power supply will still carry voltage, and the snake would have fried itself long before the PC was turned on.

 

[Joseph DeMartino]

My bad. I just glanced at that photo and thought it was looking down into the case, not the power supply. (Which, come to think of it, would have made that one big a** snake. )
Regards,
Joe

 

[Lee L]

Allright, after reading your excellent explanation and analysis Ryan, I will retact my earlier statement and say that yes, indeed it could have happened.

I did not really pick up on the burn marks before, but there are several thats for sure.

 

[Ryan Wright]

I did not really pick up on the burn marks before, but there are several thats for sure.

Now, that doesn't mean they didn't put an already dead (or even live) snake in an open power supply just for the thrill of frying it... but that snake did indeed fry in that power supply.