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USB PC keyboard with a iMac

Hi,

I just bought a old iMac 233Mhz and it come without mouse or keyboard so I bought a cheap USB PC keyboard with the Windows keys, not a Apple one, so it doesn't have the Command and Option keys. Unfortunately the hard drive on my new iMac is completely erased and when I press the "C" key during the boot it doesn't want to boot from the CD. I figured I need to go into the OpenFirmware to boot manually from the CD. The procedure to boot into the OpenFirmware is to press the Command + Option + "O" + "F" keys during the boot but as I said my keyboard doesn't have Command and Option keys... How can I access the OpenFirmware? I tried Right Alt+Left Alt "O""F" but it didn't worked... Help!

Thanks

iMac 233Mhz, Mac OS 8.6 or Earlier

Posted on Sep 22, 2006 5:09 AM

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Question marked as Best reply

Posted on Sep 22, 2006 10:09 AM

I believe

Alt key equals Option (Mac KB)
Windows key equals Command (Mac KB)

See if that works...
14 replies

Sep 22, 2006 10:22 PM in response to Iron Monkee

I found this article

http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=24566

which indicates the previous information was correct (at least for most non-Apple USB keyboards).

Try pressing just the Option (I guess that would be Alt) key during startup. That's supposed to use Startup Manager, which let's you select the startup disk. Hopefully, you CD will show up and you can selec it.

Sep 22, 2006 11:15 PM in response to Iron Monkee

It's hard to say what's wrong... Generic USB keyboards may be different enough so that they are not properly recognized during the initial start up process, before the "real" OS takes over control. So it may work fine after startup, but the severely limited functions when the computer first starts may not see it properly.

I have a non-Apple keyboard myself, but it is a Macally, so it made to be compatible with Apple keyboards. Another company with Mac-specific products is Kensington.

There are always dozens of sellers on eBay selling used Apple USB keyboards. The shipping is often more than the selling price. You may want to get one for compatibility purposes. Don't get the latest Pro keyboard (the one with the really thin outer edge); I don't think it has a power button (not needed but nice to have). The older "Pro" keyboard should be fine. The original iMac keyboad is fine too, but it is small and is missing some functional keys, and the feel is really "mushy." I don't like it, but it does look good with the iMac.

Sep 23, 2006 12:48 AM in response to Iron Monkee

If you have any computer surplus stores nearby, give them a quick call. They may have used Apple USB keyboards.

I didn't realize Apple USB keyboards only cost $29 these days. That's not so bad. The product page says Mac OS X 10.2 or later is needed. That's probably for the special functional keys (volume control, CD eject, etc), but you may want to ask the Apple Store folks what that means, exactly. Hopefully, the resident "genius bar" tech will know the answer.

Oct 1, 2006 5:30 AM in response to Iron Monkee

Question befor you go and get that keyboard , what cd were you trying to boot from . If you bought a used iMac and it came with out a keyboard and mouse well it didn't come with cd's either more than likely and if you ar useing a cd for a apple that is machien specific it may not boot to cd (gray cd) or is it a universal cd (Jaguar X ,10.2 leppared X, 10.3 or black crome X 10.4).

USB PC keyboard with a iMac

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