Back when I spent as much time in a fishing boat as I did on dry land, I got pretty handy at making quick repairs.

When the fuel line for my outboard motor developed a leak, I fixed the problem without missing a cast. It wasn't a bad leak, but it was dangerous. I used bubble gum and duct tape to stop it.

In the high-tech world, a repair like that is called a quick and dirty fix. Some --- like my bubble gum and duct tape fix --- can't be recommended as long-term solutions. But there are quick fixes you should know about. I'll talk about a few today.

> Problem: Communications breakdown.

> Solution: Flick a switch.

It's an ugly moment when you discover your computer can't connect to the Internet. Calling customer service for help can be painful. Before you make that call, do this: Turn off your modem (and the router if your modem serves more than one computer).

Now do what true geeks do --- go have a Mountain Dew. When you finish your soft drink, turn the modem and the router back on. Chances are better than 50/50 your connection will return.

The reason is a simple. Modems must sychronize with each other to communicate. At times a modem will lose synchronization. Turning it off and on again forces the modem to establish that synchronization again.

It's called "a handshake" in the computer world. And there's nothing better than a handshake to patch things up when modems get cranky.

> Problem: General misbehavior.

> Solution: Reboot.

For a different reason, the same off-and-on cycle can do wonders for a balky computer. If your computer acts up, simply turn it off and back on again.

I've seen more computers wrecked by frenzied and ill-informed "fixing" than by lightning strikes and crashed disks. So there's a double advantage to this method. If the problem is a one-time glitch, you'll avoid the risk of fixing your computer to death.

Oftentimes, rebooting the computer will flush a problem right out of memory. Think of it as a hiccup, not a problem to be fixed --- just a temporary situation.

> Problem: Bad program.

> Solution: Uninstall, reinstall.

If you've used a computer for longer than two months, you've run into this problem before. A program displays an error message each time you start it. This happens with hardware, too. There are times when printers decide to take a short vacation.

In the case of the program, use the Windows add/remove programs icon (found on the Control Panel) to remove the program. Then use your original installation disk to install it again. For the printer, go to the printer icon and remove that printer and its software. Then install it again. My bet is that this quick and not-so-dirty fix will return things to normal.

> Problem: Weird noises.

> Solution: Check fan.

A clattering sound can be a hard disk's death rattle. So it's frightening when you hear this kind of mechanical clatter.

It could be that your computer's cooling fan is having a problem. Before you do anything drastic, open the computer case and make sure the blades aren't hitting the metal grating that protects the fan. Also check to see if dust balls are slowing the fan blade.

If you're lucky, quick maintenance can quiet both your hard disk fears and the fan. While you're in there, add a tiny drop of light oil to the fan's shaft. Use the kind of light oil made for guns, or to lubricate fishing reels.

> Problem: Losing speed.

> Solution: Kill the spies.

More than half the computers brought into repair shops come in with the complaint that the machine runs too slowly.

You can often fix this problem at home. Usually the culprit is an infestation of spyware and adware. These programs slow the effective processing speed and put a drag on the bandwidth available to the computer while online.

Go to www.download.com and download either Spybot Search & Destroy or the free version of Ad-aware. Just use those names in the search box. After you've downloaded and run these programs, you'll probably see a boost in speed.

> Problem: Memory lapse.

> Solution: Add a chip.

There are relatively inexpensive fixes that can provide new life to a slow computer.

Adding memory, especially if your computer has 256 megabytes or less, is like souping up the family car. You can also add a new video card with plenty of video memory. Mine has 256 megabytes of memory. Even a card with half that amount can do wonders.

These are just quick fixes. The day will come when a quick fix isn't enough. Then it will be time to perform a slow and painfully expensive fix at the computer store. The only tool you'll need is a credit card.

tecbud@ajc.com