Startup Keys
Startup Key Combinations for Intel Based Macs
From this link: http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1533
Products Affected Mac Pro, iMac (20-inch, Mid 2007), iMac (24-inch Mid 2007), iMac (Mid 2006 17-inch), iMac (Early 2006 20-inch), iMac (Early 2006 17-inch), iMac (24-inch, Late 2006), MacBook Pro, MacBook, Mac mini, iMac (20-inch Late 2006), iMac (17-inch, Late 2006 CD), iMac (17-inch, Late 2006), MacBook Air, Mac Pro (Early 2008)
| Keystroke | Description |
|---|---|
| Press C during startup | Start up from a bootable CD or DVD, such as the Mac OS X Install disc that came with the computer. |
| Press D during startup | Start up in Apple Hardware Test (AHT), if the Install DVD 1 is in the computer. |
| Press Eject, F12, or hold the mouse (/trackpad) button | Ejects any removable media, such as an optical disc. |
| Press N during startup | Attempt to start up from a compatible network server (NetBoot). |
| Press T during startup | Start up in FireWire Target Disk mode. |
| Press Shift during startup | Start up in Safe Boot mode and temporarily disable login items. |
| Press Command-V during startup | Start up in Verbose mode. |
| Press Command-S during startup | Start up in Single-User mode. |
| Press Option-N during startup | Start from a NetBoot server using the default boot image. |
Additional Information
For the best experience with startup keys, press the keys immediately after you hear the startup tone.
Resetting PRAM and NVRAM
From this article http://support.apple.com/kb/ht1379
2. Locate the following keys on the keyboard: Command, Option, P, and R. You will need to hold these keys down simultaneously in step 4. 3. Turn on the computer. 4. Press and hold the Command-Option-P-R keys. You must press this key combination before the gray screen appears. 5. Hold the keys down until the computer restarts and you hear the startup sound for the second time. 6. Release the keys.
Your computer's PRAM and the NVRAM are reset to the default values. The clock settings may be reset to a default date on some models.