On  4 Mar 98 at 1:14, Miguel Morillo wrote:

> Is properly grounding hardware only important in cold, dry countries? Do we
> --- in warm, humid climates --- need not worry too much about proper
> grounding?
>
> I have two printers, a scanner and a PC. How can I tell if my hardware and
> PC parts are properly grounded?

  It's true that static tends to build up more when the air is dry.
I would not gamble that that effect is enough that you can safely
ignore the issue in damp climates.

  Each of the components listed should have a 3-prong plug.
  You can pick up a three-prong outlet tester from Radio Shack for
$12 or less.  Make sure that it shows that your outlet is properly
connected, and make sure that there is a continuous connection
from the third prong on your PC to the prong plugged into the wall.
  [Some years back, I worked on a machine that would crash -- taking
out the file system on its hard drive -- about twice a week.
Extensive anti-static measures (probably more effective than simple
humidity...) had no effect.  Completing the third-wire connection all
the way to the wall socket fixed the problem.]

David G