Can't boot into safe mode - PC keyboard

My Mini can't log in. I know why -- and even how to fix it -- but I'm unable to boot into any alternate state to make the fix.
The situation: PC keyboard (AOpen 90.00029.UB1) and a Logitech 4-button mouse, both USB native; also tried Dell PS/2 keyboard with a USB adapter. VGA adapter is connected to analog LCD. Away from home; do not have OS X install DVDs with me. LoginWindow.plist is fatally borked, but I can't get at it to undo the damage.
Symptoms: Mini will not respond to ANY keyboard actions during boot. Cmd-s, Cmd-v, Shift, Cmd-Opt-p-r, Cmd-Opt-o-f, or even C to boot from CD (I have a PPC Ubuntu live CD, never tested prior to this disaster). No feedback to indicate anything is happening.
If it means anything, I have the startup chime turned off by a third-party utility. Much too loud for my household.
Anyway, the sequence of events is ALWAYS the same:
* Power on
* No video (not just black -- no signal)
* CD noises
* With actual disc in drive, CD spin-up
* Still no video
* CD slows slightly (if disc in drive)
* First video activity: gray logo screen
* Spinning gear thing
* Black screen
* "Starting Mac OS X" (sometimes only a brief flash)
* Stops at blue screen with mouse cursor, no Finder
The Mini will only respond to: (1) power button on/off; (2) power-on-and-hold to go into that firmware update mode -- get scary loud tone, flashing LED, then above sequence as usual; and (3) mouse-down to eject CD. Oh, and I can move the mouse pointer around when I get to the blue screen. Yay.
For the past 24 hours I have been searching the net for ANY indication that a PC keyboard is capable/incapable of inducing Safe Mode (or any other mode). Can't find a firm Yes or No, or even a Sometimes/Maybe.
Wondering if keys are mapped differently on PC keyboards -- maybe Shift isn't really Shift as far as Mac ROM is concerned, so no Safe Mode? Tried other random key combos to no avail. Can't find a "rosetta stone" for USB keyboard signalling on net to prove/disprove theory.
First Mac, no points of reference. Hopelessly lost.
Help.
Randall

Final results are in. I ordered an Apple keyboard from Amazon, plugged it into the Mini tonight and wonder of wonders, I could get into Safe Mode, Single User Mode, Pie à la Mode, you name it. Microsoft and Apple clearly have different ideas about USB keyboards at the hardware level. (And just for the record, the Mac keyboard won't get me into my PC's BIOS either.)
Fixing the login problem took considerably longer, but that's because I overlooked the obvious and wasted a lot of time on generic boot troubleshooting: If you got yourself into trouble with defaults write, a little reading of the Man pages will lead you to defaults delete.
Things go much smoother when you have a well defined target.
Anyway, anyone out there with a Mini and a PC keyboard, do the Safe Boot test now. If it ain't working, do yourself a favor and get a Mac keyboard.
Thanks for all the help.
Randall

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    Here's the strangest thing yet - Ok, remember, it wouldn't boot normally into ANY Mac OS volume - including the installer DVDs - only in safe boot mode...
    So, I try the "hackintosh" IPC osX86 10.5.6 DVD - it boots into the installer with NO problem, WITHOUT safe boot mode ! I tried installing it unsuccessfully. I forget now which options I choose, if any, though I may try it again later and pretend it's just a non-apple PC with the same specs as the Mini (or try just the "base system", and the bootloader - then run the official Apple updates)
    This last thing really makes me think it has something to do with the EFI/bios - however, I've only been able to find info on how to update it, not replace or restore it - and it's only from a working install, not forced from a flash drive or CD (plus when I do try the installer from safe boot mode, it says it's current and unneeded).
    I still haven't changed the hard drive. After almost successfully installing Windows, I made the assumption the -hardware- was OK, and reassembled everything.
    Currently, I'm trying a direct installation of Windows XP Pro SP2 with which I'll try installing the drivers WITHOUT the boot camp software, to see if the WiFi (Airport card) and everything else is indeed working OK (remember too that the system passed ALL the ASD 3S116 tests).
    So anyway, that's the current status. Any new ideas anyone ?
    Thanks.
    Message was edited by: maxtechsystems

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