November 21, 2005

Apple boot keys

November 21st 2005 Posted to Uncategorized

I wanted to know how to boot our G5 using a different startup disk…turns out all I need to do is hold down the “option” key (that’s “alt” for everyone else). Source: http://www.jacsoft.co.nz/Tech_Notes/Mac_Keys.htm

* Comments(6)

Comments

  1. shump
    September 27th, 2007 | 12:40 am

    And…if you hold down the shift key as you login you login without activating any ’startup’ items.

  2. sixpack
    October 19th, 2007 | 3:08 pm

    I just need help from an “alternative” source. I got my first mac used (powerbook G4 with OS X), w/o any disks. I was trying to change old data to my new ownership data, so I changed the name of my main disk. (bear with me, I’m a windows person) whatever I did stops me from logging in. Even my “override” password that I created and used successfully before that wouldn’t get me in anymore. Can’t say I used it right, I know nothing about mac, but I’ve hacked XP pro a time or two…

    I just want to use my own laptop again. Can anybody tell me what I can try so I don’t have to go buy an OS X disk and do a clean reinstall?

  3. Roger Saner
    October 19th, 2007 | 5:41 pm

    Changing the name of your main disk shouldn’t affect logging in…so that’s pretty weird. You don’t necessarily need to buy the OS X disks (although Leopard is about to be released so that might be a good idea! You’ll be the envy of everyone in the neighbourhood!). Otherwise find another Mac user, borrow their disks, boot off them (hold down “C” while booting) and do an “archive and install” – it’ll preserve all of your old user settings and make your laptop usable again.

  4. sixpack
    October 21st, 2007 | 1:48 pm

    Thanks for the reply. It was my “short name”, I guess, that I changed. I was able to log on as “root” with the override password that thankfully, I had set earlier. I think I can finish fixing that mess now, but thank you for the quick response—I was really in a tizzy, not knowing what I did or how to fix it!

    Thanks

  5. Roger Saner
    October 21st, 2007 | 2:55 pm

    Glad you got it sorted :) If you ever forget your password and get locked out of your computer, just boot off your install disk and then instead of clicking “Install” click on the menu at the top – one of the options is “Reset OS X” password. You’ll get locked out of your Login keychain items (things like passwords for sites in Safari, network server passwords, etc – nothing you can’t find again) but you’ll get access to your Mac again.

  6. Mr Ingram
    April 16th, 2008 | 3:41 pm

    Hey! Had the same problem as you sixpack.. Just wanted to say thanx to Roger too as I was in a bit of a muddle as well! Hopefully I can get to the bottom of things now……Yippee!..There is an (Apple)God! Regards :)

Leave a reply