HT204063: How to Reset NVRAM on your Mac

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generdude

Q: Unable to reset NVAM El Capitan

I have followed the directions from Apple Support (see below). But I never hear a second chime. I have tried the old way too, holding the keys down before hearing the first chime. Both ways put me into the OS Utilities screen. Am I doing something wrong?

 

Resetting NVRAM

  1. Shut down your Mac.
  2. Locate the following keys on the keyboard: Command (⌘), Option, P, and R.
  3. Turn on your Mac.
  4. Press and hold the Command-Option-P-R keys immediately after you hear the startup sound.
  5. Hold these keys until the computer restarts and you hear the startup sound for a second time.
  6. Release the keys.

iMac (21.5-inch, Late 2012), OS X Mavericks (10.9.4)

Posted on Jun 18, 2016 12:48 PM

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Q: Unable to reset NVAM El Capitan

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  • Helpful answers

  • by K Shaffer,

    K Shaffer K Shaffer Jun 18, 2016 1:03 PM in response to generdude
    Level 6 (14,224 points)
    Desktops
    Jun 18, 2016 1:03 PM in response to generdude

    If you have a second USB keyboard (preferably an Apple) you could try the NVRAM reset;

    not sure if you have a wireless keyboard, a bad connection with USB keyboard or what.

     

    Usually once the actual reset chime occurs, you can let it re-chime up to three times. I do.

    Since I have spare keyboards, my choice would be to try another known good example.

    Or if USB, try another port on the computer. Especially helpful to try USB if using bluetooth.

     

    Sometimes the amount of time it takes to try & get to the keys and hold them down before

    the first chime, is too long. So the computer will start up past the point of NVRAM working.

    The keyboard at least can be positioned to a better location to attempt to use keys sooner.

     

    {What was the symptom you sought to alleviate with the NVRAM reset?}

     

    Good luck!

  • by generdude,

    generdude generdude Jun 18, 2016 1:08 PM in response to K Shaffer
    Level 2 (405 points)
    Photos for Mac
    Jun 18, 2016 1:08 PM in response to K Shaffer

    I have tried a wired keyboard and it still doesn't work. I have done this in the past but never in El Cap.

    The symptom is a bubbly (a familiar error message sound) sound when choosing certain functions in the finder, like system preferences. Sometimes it happens in iTunes. I just figured resetting the NVRAM would be a good place to start.

  • by K Shaffer,

    K Shaffer K Shaffer Jun 18, 2016 2:01 PM in response to generdude
    Level 6 (14,224 points)
    Desktops
    Jun 18, 2016 2:01 PM in response to generdude

    You may be able to reset the NVRAM via the Command Line. I've not done this.

     

    • How to View and Clear the Mac NVRAM contents from Terminal in OS X:

    http://osxdaily.com/2015/12/16/view-clear-nvram-mac-command-line-osx/

     

    search results, with command line Terminal info:

    https://duckduckgo.com/?q=OS+X+reset+NVRAM+using+command+line&t=ffsb&ia=qa

     

    Have you tried restart in Safe mode to troubleshoot, to see if the symptoms go away?

    • Try safe mode if your Mac doesn't finish starting up - Apple Support

     

    Another reset that may be able to help in what is affected, is the SMC reset:

    • Reset the System Management Controller (SMC) on your Mac - Apple Support

     

    There also may be some third-party applications extensions or parts that are affecting

    the OS X in some odd way. Sometimes using the Safe mode booting can help for use

    in troubleshooting since it stops some items from loading in that mode.

     

    Curious. I wonder if there isn't some third party or other problem; some error audio alerts

    mean something or another, or could suggest a specific cause. I'm not certain just what.

     

    PS: I note this thread had started out in Photos for Mac, now it's been moved to Mavericks

    yet your title says El Capitan. Closer, yet it failed to arrive.

     

    Good luck!