Help with a practical joke - Tilted Forum Project Discussion Community

hrdwareguy · 04-08-2004, 07:33 AM

OK, here's the setup:

I want to build a heating element and attach it to the extra fan power leads on the motherboard. This heating element will heat model train smoke fluid and start the cmoputer smoking. Or I could just by a train and rip the heating element out of it.

As we all know, the solution to a smoking computer is to install NOSMOKE.COM. I need a program that when run it cuts the power to the second fan power leads (or any other set of leads like the power light).

Anyone have any ideas on a program that will do something like this.

oberon · 04-08-2004, 07:56 AM

You could use an RS232 (serial) connection in series with a MOS amplifier (if necessary) to generate a signal to a switch (bipolar junction transistor?) that connects the fan leads to the motherboard. Then just write a program to send the signals over the RS232 port.

I realize that this might be a little bit too much work for you. But it's what I could think of off the top of my head.

Scorpion23 · 04-08-2004, 09:49 AM

Yeah, it would be pretty hard to write a program that controlled the fan connectors as they vary by motherboard. Your best bet would be an internal serial connector on the motherboard as oberon suggested. Either use a switching transistor or a relay and some simple com commands. You could then power the smoke generator by a spare molex connector.

The com commands can be done easily enough with C++ or VB, so the only real problem would be fabricating the smoke generator.

04-08-2004, 07:33 AM	#1 (permalink)
hrdwareguy "Officer, I was in fear for my life" Location: Oklahoma City	Help with a practical joke OK, here's the setup: I want to build a heating element and attach it to the extra fan power leads on the motherboard. This heating element will heat model train smoke fluid and start the cmoputer smoking. Or I could just by a train and rip the heating element out of it. As we all know, the solution to a smoking computer is to install NOSMOKE.COM. I need a program that when run it cuts the power to the second fan power leads (or any other set of leads like the power light). Anyone have any ideas on a program that will do something like this. __________________ Gun Control is hitting what you aim at Aim for the TFP, Donate Today

04-08-2004, 07:56 AM	#2 (permalink)
oberon Quadrature Amplitude Modulator Location: Denver	You could use an RS232 (serial) connection in series with a MOS amplifier (if necessary) to generate a signal to a switch (bipolar junction transistor?) that connects the fan leads to the motherboard. Then just write a program to send the signals over the RS232 port. I realize that this might be a little bit too much work for you. But it's what I could think of off the top of my head. __________________ "There are finer fish in the sea than have ever been caught." -- Irish proverb

04-08-2004, 09:49 AM	#3 (permalink)
Scorpion23 Psycho	Yeah, it would be pretty hard to write a program that controlled the fan connectors as they vary by motherboard. Your best bet would be an internal serial connector on the motherboard as oberon suggested. Either use a switching transistor or a relay and some simple com commands. You could then power the smoke generator by a spare molex connector. The com commands can be done easily enough with C++ or VB, so the only real problem would be fabricating the smoke generator. __________________ "Empirically observed covariation is a necessary but not sufficient condition for causality" - Edward Tufte