Selecting boot drive at startup

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Selecting boot drive at startup

I am used to being able to select the boot system by holding the Option key at startup. I have a late 2014 Mac mini with a Windows keyboard attached. The modifier keys in the lower left of keyboard are Ctrl, Windows, Alt. Regardless of which key I select at startup the select boot volume dialog doesn't appear. Is this functionality limited to Apple keyboards? Does anyone know a way around this? The problem is the mini is booting into a system that has some significant software issue that makes it unusable. I need to boot into a different volume so that I can erase the Mojave system and reinstall it.

Any suggestions would be much appreciated. Thanks.

Posted on Feb 13, 2021 8:58 AM

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Answer 1

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den.thed

Level 10

90,970 points

Feb 13, 2021 9:34 AM in response to Tom Wolsky

Hi Tom

Is that Windows keyboard USB or Wireless?

FWIW I use inexpensive Logitech USB K120 keyboards and the Alt (option) key, always takes me to the Startup Manager on a verity of 2010 thru 2018 iMac's and Mac Mini's. Maybe dig out and try an old USB Apple keyboard, if you happen to have one of those stashed away somewhere.

Dennis

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Answer 2

Androish

Level 8

39,549 points

Feb 13, 2021 9:07 AM in response to Tom Wolsky

IF you can get into recovery by holding windows key + R you should be able to select startup disk from recovery.

But that's if the windows key will do the job of Command key, and if Alt does not work as Option it might not.

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Answer 3

Tom Wolsky Author

Level 10

152,780 points

Feb 13, 2021 10:54 AM in response to den.thed

Thank you both for your suggestions. The keyboard is USB hardwired. When I'm booted into one of the systems I have the Windows and Alt key swapped, so Option is the middle key and Alt is the Command key. That works fine, but I don't think the keyboard settings are active at the start up stage.

The Alt key being the key closed to the spacebar? I tried that but it keeps going straight to the Apple and progress bar.

I'll try the restore function to see if I can get that to work. Fortunately this isn't a computer I have to rely on; it's only for running older versions of software.

Thanks again.

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Selecting boot drive at startup

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