It used to be that when someone said their computer had a bug in it, they meant it literally. However, most people no longer have to worry about insects crawling into a mainframe and knocking out their whole computer network. Instead, the phrase “buggy console” now usually refers to something like the Xbox 360’s infamous Red Ring of Death, which was a problem with the hardware itself.
However, one Xbox One user recently discovered that they have a legitimate pest control problem on their hands. A recent viral video shows an Xbox One that is downright infested with insects, in a somewhat unsettling reminder of what “buggy” hardware used to mean.
A user on the Xbox One subreddit called DMOrange shared the short video on Reddit under the heading, “Had a few bugs in the system.” However, one only needs to watch for a few seconds to realize that’s an understatement. The thirteen-second clip shows an Xbox One with the bottom of its plastic shell removed and an entire swarm of ants crawling around on the metal chassis. Viewers can see the bugs moving freely in and out of the console’s interior, having clearly made a home among the Xbox One’s cables and circuit boards. While this is hardly the only time ants found a way into someone’s hardware, it is never a welcome surprise.
DMOrange explained the situation in a comment underneath the main post. According to the Reddit user, their family had an ant problem that no amount of cleaning or traps could seem to get rid of. DMOrange’s wife finally stumbled across the source when she was cleaning their home entertainment setup and discovered a swarm of ants crawling all over her hand. DMOrange attempted to save the system by opening it up and blowing the ants away with compressed air. However, that had little effect, with the ants infesting the Xbox One’s optical disk drive and several other internal components.
A few Reddit commenters offer suggestions on how DMOrange might salvage their console. One suggestion begins with putting the Xbox One in a garbage bag. The idea was to poke a hole in one end with a pencil, then blow a hairdryer into the mouth of the bag. According to the commenter, the heat will drive the ants out through the hole without damaging the Xbox.
Another comment suggested submerging the entire console in a tub of isopropyl alcohol. However, as other comments pointed out, this tactic would still leave DMOrange with an Xbox One full of dead ants and in need of deep cleaning. Additionally, while some components would be fine, doing this risks serious damage to the drives and thermal paste. Regardless of which solution ends up being the right one, it’s still an irritating position for the console’s owner to be in.