How can you "reset" EFI to default settings?

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Level 1

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How can you "reset" EFI to default settings?

I have a problem, it appears I have some how screwed up EFI on my Mac Mini's.

The short story is, I partitioned using Boot Camp and created a FAT 32 partition, and then booted from the SLES 10 SP1 DVD, I forgot to delete the FAT 32 partition after it was created, so SLES wanted to delete the OS X partition and re organize it. So I canceled the install and rebooted, when it rebooted it went right to a black screen that says "No bootable device -- insert boot disk and press any key".

The end result is that it will not boot to my OS X partition, and it will not boot from ANY CD. I have physically connected USB mac keyboard and standard 2 button USB mouse.

What I have tried:

* Holding C during POST to boot from CD
* Holding Option Key during POST to be prompted with which partition to boot
* Holding CMD-OPT-SHIFT-DELETE to boot from an external source (USB CD)
* Putting in my original Leopard install disk to boot
* Putting in my orignal Tiger install disk to boot
* Putting in my Window XP install disk to boot
* Putting in my Vista install disk to boot
* Putting in Fedora, RHEL 5, SuSE 10, FreeBSD 6.3, etc disks to boot

All of these end up with the same results, being ignored and going to an all black screen that states "No bootable device -- insert boot disk and press any key".

1. I have a bootable device, the OS X 10.5 partition, it was or should not have been touched.
2. I have a bootable CD in the drive and pressing any key doesn't do anything

iMac 17/2.0/2x1GB/160/SD/WLKM, Mac OS X (10.4.8)

Posted on Feb 7, 2008 3:03 PM

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Answer 1

Feb 12, 2008 9:49 PM in response to Creepy Gnome

I'm not positive, but if you hold down the power button for about 10 seconds or so when turning the computer on the power light starts flashing and you will hear a louder, higher pitched tone than the usual start up chime. I think this resets the firmware.

but the error your getting sounds like a windows error, not an efi error.

to boot a mac from a CD, you hold down the "C" key.

are you sure your holding down the option key quickly enough? make sure you press it immediately after turning on the computer.

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Answer 2

DonH49

Level 6

16,704 points

Feb 14, 2008 1:18 PM in response to Creepy Gnome

apple doc; http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=303446

Also try to zap pram. Don't think the EFI is screwed but the hard drive. At least try to get to the point whereby mini boots from something.

Resetting the SMC can resolve some computer issues such as not starting up, not displaying video, sleep issues, fan noise issues, and so forth. If your computer still exhibits these types of issues after you've restarted the computer, try resetting the SMC. To reset the SMC on an iMac (Early 2006), iMac (Mid 2006), iMac (Late 2006), or Mac mini (Early 2006):

1. From the Apple menu, choose Shut Down (or if the computer is not responding, hold the power button until it turns off).
2. Unplug all cables from the computer, including the power cord and any display cables.
3. Wait at least 15 seconds.
4. Plug the power cord back in, making sure the power button is not being pressed at the time. Then reconnect your keyboard and mouse to the computer.
5. Press the power button on the back to start up your computer.

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Answer 3

Creepy Gnome Author

Level 1

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Feb 14, 2008 3:11 PM in response to DonH49

New information.

I miss typed when I used the term "CD" I should have used disc, and now I know I should use the term DVD. As I can boot from a bootable CD, however any bootable DVD will not boot.

I tried updating the EFI with an EFI Disc, and holding the power button, etc. It didn't do anything not sure why.

So I believe even more that this is an EFI issue, because it will not recognize a bootable DVD or HD but will recognize a bootable CD.

I do not see how reseting the SMC would help, however I tried it anyways but to no avail.

I found the following page on reseting PRAM:
http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=2238

I tried it but it would reset however according to step 5 "Hold the keys down until the computer restarts and you hear the startup sound for the second time" never happens. It never restarts and gives me the start up sound a second time.

I find this as more evidence the EFI or PRAM if they are the same thing is screwed up.

Message was edited by: Creepy Gnome

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Answer 4

Feb 14, 2008 10:53 PM in response to Creepy Gnome

If you have a aluminum keyboard. Try the apple remote, boot and hold the "MENU" button.

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Answer 5

Creepy Gnome Author

Level 1

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Feb 15, 2008 4:19 PM in response to Cup of Tea

Well I do have the USB aluminum keyboard.

First I did what you suggested without the Mac OS DVD in the drive. So after holding down the MENU button during boot it would only stay at the gray screen giving me a mouse cursor. I was like "at least it did something different." Ah but then I figured maybe it needs a working bootable device either a hard drive or a disc. So I put my bootable Mac OS DVD and sure enough it it came up with a single choice to boot from the DVD. It then booted from the DVD to allow me to install the OS again. I am going through this now, so I do not really know why it would not boot from a DVD and only a CD. I am just glad someone provided the magic "MENU" button idea.

Thanks Cup of Tea!

Side note, is there known issues with the Aluminum keyboards not working as they should on key combo's at boot? If you know the Apple Article number it would be great to have.

Message was edited by: Creepy Gnome

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Answer 6

Creepy Gnome Author

Level 1

0 points

Feb 15, 2008 4:59 PM in response to Creepy Gnome

One more update for anyone this happen to in the future. I also had to go into Disk Util to repartition the hard drive so that it could be installed on. For some reason it had no partitions.

Message was edited by: Creepy Gnome

Message was edited by: Creepy Gnome

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Answer 7

Creepy Gnome Author

Level 1

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Feb 15, 2008 4:59 PM in response to Creepy Gnome

Forgot to mark as answered. Thanks Again.

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Answer 8

Will-Hi

Level 5

4,307 points

Feb 15, 2008 5:25 PM in response to Creepy Gnome

Creepy Gnome wrote:
Side note, is there known issues with the Aluminum keyboards not working as they should on key combo's at boot? If you know the Apple Article number it would be great to have.

No KB article that I know of. But all reports I've read indicate that new aluminum keyboards do no work for startup options.

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Answer 9

Mar 25, 2008 1:03 PM in response to Cup of Tea

Cup of Tea,

I love you !!

My Mini is now booting from the DVD.

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Answer 10

amp88

Level 1

25 points

Mar 25, 2008 2:46 PM in response to Creepy Gnome

"Side note, is there known issues with the Aluminum keyboards not working as they should on key combo's at boot? If you know the Apple Article number it would be great to have."

Apple aluminum keyboards, both wired and wireless, do have problems with boot key sequences in start up. Most if not all sequences are not recognized when using the aluminum keyboard. All other Apple keyboards and most Windows keyboards work fine. You can get cheap wired keyboards at Radioshack or Walmart. I have a spare windows keyboard that costs $20 at Radioshack.

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Answer 11

Mar 27, 2008 4:41 AM in response to Creepy Gnome

Would like to add that I've had the same problem with a Black MacBook running 10.4
All the same symptoms.

Interestingly, after using the remote to select boot source, it wouldn't recognize a Tiger DVD, but it would recognize a Leopard DVD.

So if anyone else hits this one and is still having no luck, you might have to go up to 10.5
No idea why, but there it is...

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Answer 12

Jun 9, 2008 3:57 PM in response to Graham Lord

Not sure if anyone will ever get this, but to all of you who participated in this thread THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU!!!!!!!!!!! I have been searching for this exact solution for a month now.

I experienced the same symptoms as the original poster and mistakingly thought that they were caused by a HDD problem. Then, when I booted my MacMini without the hard drive inside of it, I still got the boot disk error and realized that it was an EFI error and not a HDD error.

Thanks again, Matt

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