A protector needs a ground is because ground wire must be short to
earth. Not just safety ground back to the breaker panel. Earth
ground. An effective protector shunts lightning 'less than 10 feet' to
earth. Ineffective protectors hope you never learn what a shunt mode
protector does - earth the transient. Earthing - not safety ground -
determines protector's effectiveness.

A 'whole house' type protector is a best solution because it makes
that essential 'less than 10 foot' connection to earth. Earthing so
essential that breaker box earthing must meet and exceed post 1990
National Electrical Code earthing requirements. You probably need
earthing upgrades.

Again, how earthing (not just safety ground) is connected makes a
protector effective. That connection from each AC electric wire,
through the protector, and then to an earthing electrode should be as
short as possible with no sharp bends, no splices, not inside metallic
conduit, and separated from all other non-earthing wires. Earthing
wire is carrying a potentially destructive transient. If bundled with
other wires, then it may induce transients on those other wires. Just
another reason why ground wire inside a BX cable is safety ground, but
not sufficient for earthing.

That 'whole house' protector will protect computer AND everything
else in the house for about $1 per protected appliance. 'Whole house'
protector is superior protection for both two prong and three prong
receptacles.

redbrickhat wrote:
I have an old (1960s) apartment with 2 prong ungrounded outlets.

Questions:
A) If I open the outlets and there is no grounding wire, and then add a
GFCI outlet, this will protect me from electrical shocks, but won't
protect my computer from surges.

So: could I add a whole house surge protector at the service box? The
service box uses fuses.

B) If I open the outlets and there is no grounding wire, how difficult
would it to wire grounding wire from the outlet to the service box?
Does an electrician have to do it? Any special gauged wire or
precautiions necessary? Do I have to wire it inside walls?

C) If I add a GFCI breaker to the service box, will this function as a
properly "grounded" GFCI and allow any computers on the circuit to be
protected by surge protector strips?