OK, so a few weeks ago I found a Pentium desktop on the street, and took it back to my dorm room at a boarding school (I'm a curious guy), where I plugged it in. It booted fine, and my friends and I were playing games on it when we all realized we were feeling "high", with raised heart rates and dizziness. I freaked, unplugged the PC, and hauled it back outside. Maybe the power supply was dying? This was before Christmas break. I hoped that any residual chemical or whatever was causing it would have dissapated out of my over those few weeks, but when I came back today I got a raised heart rate again when I was in the room. It might be because of worrying about the chemical (or whatever), but I'm concerned about whether this mystery chemical could cause some really bad health effects... has anyone else ever had this problem?
Thanks.
Computer health question
January 3, 2007 - 2:28pm
#1
Computer health question
while I am not going to say that this is impossible....
I have never heard of anything at all like this, and am completley baffled by what you are saying.
The most i have ever been able to really detect smell wise is when a capacitor explodes or a PS goes bad and burns out some components... I dont know of anything that could raise your heart rate or make you feel "high"?
you've got me stumped!!
....well, I suppose there is the possibility that drugs - specifically crack cocaine - were being smuggled in the computer, and that it is close enough to the processor or other hot component that it is vaporizing and by being near the computer when it gets warm you are "smoking" the crack.? However, i find this scenario HIGHLY unlikely.
/Bill
That's what I thought- but everyone (at least 4 other people) felt the same way. The sensation lingered for about an hour. I swear I'm not making this up. Then again, maybe the only reason I've got a high heart rate now is because I'm worried about any residual stuff that could be in the carpet. I guess I'll just wait it out and see (when the other 4 people arrive) if they get the same feeling. Thanks for the input.
if it had drugs in it, you might want to tell the police where you got the pentium at. This might be a crime item that, if they were smuggling drugs in it, could be used as evidence. I am pretty sure the police would be willing to test it.
I popped the case off when I brought it in a few weeks ago, to see what this thing had inside. There weren't any drugs... just ancient PC parts. I've come to the conclusion that it must've been some melting component somewhere. Or maybe someone dusted crack on the heatsink. I'll never really know for sure, because after I started feeling strange I parked that thing right back on the curb; it's long gone now. Anyway, I left the window in the room open all day too, so I think it's safe now. What a strange little Wintel box. Thanks again for your help.
I'll be its something in the room/ventilation system in your building that happened to coincide with the pc being in your room. I don't think any component in a pc that can go would actually make you high while the computer is still working.
It could have, at one point, been used for smuggling drugs. If a small amount of those drugs were present in the PSU, heatsync, or any bit that got hot, they could have vaporised. Those fumes would then have been circulated by the PCs cooling fans, etc...
I repaired a couple of computers that were formally owned by someone who smoked quite a bit. Even after cleaning it up, the stench of tobacco/etc. filled the room when it was powered on.
Boy I'm glad they're out of here!