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skipping startup items

I remember that (in the OS9 era) the Mac could be started up without loading/opening the start-up items (in the user-defined list) by pushing some key combination at startup.

Every morning my Mac starts up automatically with the main programs I use during the day (Mail, Safari, Soho, Photoshop, Agenda, Contacts etc.).

Sometimes, when I have closed down the system at night and I remember I forgot to send a mail, at start-upI have to wait till the Mac has walked through the whole procedure again, while I only need Mail for a few minutes.

Is there a key combination that takes care of skipping the start-up items.

I couldn't find one in all kinds of help files and apple-docs.


I read somewhere that the shift key would do the job, but trying that, gave me a (very slow) progress bar at start-up.

It took the Mac about 10-15 minutes to run through the startup procedure; not exactly what i was looking for.


Besides that, the iMac feels sluggish after that last "experiment"

iMac, OS X Mavericks (10.9.5), 8 Gb RAM - 1,5 Tb harddisk

Posted on Feb 11, 2016 3:42 AM

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Posted on Feb 11, 2016 8:40 AM

I don't think there's a way to do it quite the way you want to do it, just for one startup:


Automatically re-open windows, apps, and documents on your Mac - Apple Support


Holding down the shift key at startup under OSX starts in Safe Mode which disables some features. It also runs a directory check which is why it took so long to start.


Try safe mode if your Mac doesn't finish starting up (formerly: What is Safe Boot, Safe Mode? (Mac OS X)) - http://support.apple.com/HT201262 - "You can use safe mode to help you resolve issues that might keep your Mac from completely starting up."


Safe Boot takes longer than normal startup - http://support.apple.com/kb/TS1884 No longer available

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Question marked as Best reply

Feb 11, 2016 8:40 AM in response to Gerrit Velthuis

I don't think there's a way to do it quite the way you want to do it, just for one startup:


Automatically re-open windows, apps, and documents on your Mac - Apple Support


Holding down the shift key at startup under OSX starts in Safe Mode which disables some features. It also runs a directory check which is why it took so long to start.


Try safe mode if your Mac doesn't finish starting up (formerly: What is Safe Boot, Safe Mode? (Mac OS X)) - http://support.apple.com/HT201262 - "You can use safe mode to help you resolve issues that might keep your Mac from completely starting up."


Safe Boot takes longer than normal startup - http://support.apple.com/kb/TS1884 No longer available

Feb 11, 2016 8:40 AM in response to Gerrit Velthuis

Does this Mac automatically login to your account?


Shift will disable system wide startup items in safe mode if you hold it at startup.


If you hold it before logging in (after you enter the password & hit return) it will disable login items only.


You will have to take a wild guess at when the login is happening with auto login enabled, I think it is after the large grey Apple has been onscreen.

http://lifehacker.com/5795904/temporarily-disable-your-macs-login-items-with-the -shift-key (sorry I can't see official Apple docs on this).


P.S. A slow start-up is a symptom of a slow hard disk. A SSD may improve performance. Some users get excited about how fast OS X boots after fitting an SSD, it will help in other areas too. Sadly iMacs are tough to open, so you may war a professional or Apple store to fit an SSD if you decide to do so.

skipping startup items

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