Late last Tuesday, the IT helpdesk received one of the most unusual tickets in its history. The user, quite seriously, reported that their computer was “haunted” and requested an exorcism. According to the ticket details, every time the user tried to open their email, strange sounds like whispering and faint ghostly moans came through the speakers. The mouse would occasionally move without being touched, and files mysteriously copied themselves into strange folders overnight.
Our technician, trying to keep a straight face, called the user back for more details. The user explained that the “ghost” was clearly messing with their work, causing errors and making the machine behave unpredictably. They demanded an immediate exorcism, mentioning that they had even tried smudging the computer with sage and knocking on the case three times while chanting, but nothing worked.
Upon visiting the user’s desk, the tech quickly diagnosed the “hauntings” as easily explained technical issues: the creepy sounds were attributed to the email client’s new notification sounds that looked suspiciously like whispering, the mouse movement was caused by a loose USB hub connected to a wireless mouse, and the copying files turned out to be an automated backup script that was misunderstood.
Still, to soothe the user’s nerves, the technician humorously performed a mock “exorcism” ritual by unplugging the machine, opening it up, saying a few “magic” words, and then rebooting it. The user left the call relieved and even thanked the tech for handling the mysterious “spirit” so professionally.
This case will undoubtedly stay in the helpdesk archives as a reminder that sometimes the real ghosts haunting computers are just everyday technical glitches under a spooky new light. And in these times, a little humor—and patience—go a long way.