From the photograph they don't look like they are connected to anything.
That's not what I see, but he is the one with that actual PC board so it should be easy for him to determine how the pins are configured.
Connect them to ground ....
I don't think that would be a good idea. They obviously are already connected to one logic level or another since I don't think the board designer would have left them floating. If they are already connected to VSS then connecting them to ground again won't help. I don't see any pull-up resistors (or jumpers) nearby so if they are connected to VDD then connecting those pins to ground would create smoke and heat.
Someone may give him the answer but in the long run I think he will be better off working it out for himself following my outline.
Don