ABSTRACT
Detection of personal computer (PC) hardware problems is a complicated process which demands high level of knowledge and skills. Depending on the know-how of the technician, a simple problem could take hours or even days to solve. The aim is to develop an expert system for troubleshooting and diagnosing personal computers thereby assisting personal computer owners in dealing with their computer problems especially when the time is limited and human expert is not available.The use of Object-Oriented Analysis and Design (OOAD) and UML (Unified Modeling Language) are use to model the system. In this research work, the method of fact-finding called knowledge acquisition which is a knowledge-based approach to extract facts is adopted. Various sets of rules are also introduced into the system for detecting different types of failures which can be easily handled by the PC owners and will give their causes. The data extracted from experts is stored in the knowledge-base of the Expert System shell. The graphical user interface, the expert system shell and the database of the model are developed by integrating visual basic 6.0 programming language, Access database tool and the dynamic linking library (DLL) files.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Title Page
Certification----------------------------------------------------------I
Declaration-----------------------------------------------------------II
Dedication------------------------------------------------------------III
Acknowledgments---------------------------------------------------IV
Abstract---------------------------------------------------------------V
Table of Contents------
CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION
1.1Introduction----------------------------------------------------1
1.2Background of the study-------------------------------------2
1.3Statement of problem-----------------------------------------3
1.4Aims and objectives------------------------------------------3
1.5Scopes and limitation-----------------------------------------4
1.6definition of terms-------------------------------------------4
CHAPTER TWO: LITERATURE REVIEW
2.1 Expert systems-------------------------------------------------9
2.2 Types of expert systems-------------------------------------13
2.3 Decision making techniques in expert
systems------------------------------------------------------------14
2.3.1 Production ruled based systems--------------------------14
2.3.2 Backward and forward chaining-------------------------15
2.3.3 Advantages of backward chaining
over forward chaining--------------------------------------------16
2.4 Fuzzy logic----------------------------------------------------16
2.4.1 Linguistic variables----------------------------------------17
2.4.2 Early applications------------------------------------------17
2.4.3 If then rules-------------------------------------------------18
2.5 Comparison between fuzzy logic and
Probability---------------------------------------------------------18
CHAPTER THREE: SYSTEM DESIGN AND METHODOLOGY.
3.1Design of the ptototype system-------------------------19
3.2Data base application-------------------------------------21
3.3Knowledge base-------------------------------------------21
3.4File structure-----------------------------------------------22
3.5Database----------------------------------------------------23
3.6Client interface--------------------------------------------24
3.7User interface----------------------------------------------25
3.8Electronic Detection point-------------------------------25
3.9Ctis Application-------------------------------------------26
3.9.1Inference Engine------------------------------------------26
3.9.2Membership function generation-----------------------27
3.9.3Electrostatic discharge-----------------------------------32
3.9.4Faulty Cmos battery------------------------------------32
3.9.5Faulty Rom Bios----------------------------------------33
3.9.6Faulty Ram------------------------------------------------33
3.9.7Faulty Processor------------------------------------------33
3.9.8 Faulty power supply-------------------------------------34
3.9.9 Faulty Hard Drive-----------------------------------------34
3.9.9.1 System bock diagram-----------------------------35
3.9.9.2 Program flowchat----------------------------------35
CHAPTER FOUR :SYSTEM IMPLEMENTATION AND DOCUMENTATION
4.1 System implementation- ----------------------------------36
4.2 System evaluation------------------------------------------38
4.3 System maintenance---------------------------------------39
4.4 Choice of programming language-----------------------39
CHAPTER FIVE
5.1 Summary----------------------------------------------------40
5.2 Conclusion--------------------------------------------------40
5.3 Recommendation-------------------------------------------41
References
Appendices