If I don't have my startup discs can I not fix this myself?

Attempting to alter another person's clear instructions with no explanation is not likely to help anybody.

By all means offer an alternative set of instructions if you wish but please refrain from altering my instructions.

I already apologized for not being clear.

While it is possible that the wireless keyboard is affecting the ability to boot into Single-User-Mode (or even Safe-Mode), I suspect the firmware can no longer see a bootable system on the drive (as Single-User-Mode is Mac OS X before starting multi-user mode, starting the networking components, starting up the GUI, etc...).

I think ohitsmandi needs to either get replacement installion DVDs from Apple, or find another Mac, a Firewire cable, then use Target Mode to access the drive from another Mac and try repairing the boot drive's file system.

Failing a repair, the system should be restored from a backup (I'm hoping ohitsmandi has a backup), or using the replacement installation DVD to install a new copy of the OS and hopefully get the Mac working again.

Again, this is my guess about the situation.

Bob,

I am still not convinced the OP has tried single user mode properly - perhaps a conventional keyboard would help.

I don't understand the following - can you express it in another way:

I suspect the firmware can no longer see a bootable system on the drive (as Single-User-Mode is Mac OS X before starting multi-user mode, starting the networking components, starting up the GUI, etc...).

Single User Mode is where every Unix boot starts. The difference when holding down Cmd-S is it does not continue loading all the other components that make it a multiuser, networked, GUI style operating system.

Single User is not a different operating system, it the first step in the boot road to Mac OS X as we know it.

The Folder on the screen comes from the Firmware when it cannot find a bootable device or partition.

oops - it appears you are correct Bob - I have just found:

"If Open Firmware fails to find a boot device, a blinking folder is displayed."

from:

http://osxbook.com/book/bonus/ancient/whatismacosx/arch_boot.html

Has this changed from a blinking folder to a blinking question mark within a folder?

I don't recall seeing this since my Mac Plus days - it did this while waiting for the floppy.

I see that the page the OP came from (http://support.apple.com/kb/TS1440) fails to mention this or indicate that it could be a failed disk.

Have I missed something?