When I was young --- just out of college --- I spent a lot of time looking for a sure cure for being a nerdish, prematurely bald guy.

I was sure that, if I owned a Corvette, I would somehow be cured. I could picture myself, top down, driving away from nerd-dom at 70 miles an hour.

I finally scraped up enough money to buy that car. It was a great disappointment to discover that even a Corvette was not powerful enough for the task intended.

I think of that car when I get e-mails from readers who are equally positive that a 3-gigahertz PC will somehow transform them into a computer genius. They're suffering along with a 1-plus gigahertz machine and have come to blame a lot of their computing problems on that. Just another gigahertz or two, they think, and life would be good.

Believe me, I understand. I bought that Corvette.

But as I've gotten older, and after many years of messing with computers, I have become convinced that buying the fastest (and most expensive) computer is a lot like going into a fancy restaurant and buying the most expensive bottle of wine. It's briefly exhilarating. You get something that really is very good. But most of the enjoyment fades when you get the bill.

If you happen to have plenty of extra cash lying around, then it is a different story. Get that $200 bottle of wine and pick up a six-pack of the fastest computers you can find. I'm serious. If the expense is minor compared with your resources, well, congratulations and enjoy. Both expensive computers and wine are nice indulgences.

But let's assume that you --- like me --- often go to sleep thinking, "Well, I'll pay the mortgage this week and then if I wait until the day before the credit card bill is due, I won't get one of those unpleasant notes from the bank again."

In that case, you need to learn some ways to keep that aging but still adequate computer running. Let me offer a few. Not all of them are free, but they are a lot less likely to melt the plastic on your Visa card than a new computer.

> Memory: If there is one quick fix for a slow computer, it's memory. If you are using Windows XP and have less than 256 megabytes of memory, upgrading to that amount will make a difference you can see. If you're still using Windows 98 or ME, the bang for your buck in memory isn't quite as noticeable. XP handles memory better.

But even then, if you have 64 megabytes, doubling the amount of memory can help. You can check out memory chips and prices at www.kingston.com.

I'm not saying that you should order there, although that's OK, too. But the Web site does an excellent job explaining memory, and the chips are good ones.

> Hard disk: The hard disk in a computer is very much like your worst closet at home. No matter how careful you are, it tends to get overfilled. Even if your hard disk has a bit of space left on it, your computer could still be suffering. Windows allocates part of your hard disk for temporary storage and --- when a hard disk is 70 percent full or more --- you can see a speed decrease.

If you are in that boat, you can replace your old disk with a larger one for $140 or so. Or you can add a second drive. It's a job that most advanced amateurs can tackle on their own. That includes users who already know they can do it; those who wonder if they can should not. You'll pay $75 or so to get the job done at a repair shop. Even advanced users may want to take that route, since the shop will also transfer your old data for you --- a nice bonus.

> Video card: An outdated video card can also slow down your machine.

The new ones can have as much memory as that of a PC from just a few years back. Since so much of the work of computing involves graphics --- everything from displaying Windows itself to creating the symbols and pictures on the screen --- a fast video card can help. You'll find cards with 128 and even 256 megabytes for $100 to $200. Most computer users can install one themselves. But if you feel uncomfortable, check at the store to see if you can get free installation with your purchase.

None of these changes will turn your Geo of a computer into a Corvette. Nor are the bald among you likely to grow hair. But by avoiding buying a new machine right away, you may save enough money to buy a decent wig.

bhusted@ajc.com