Can't use Option key startup

When I try to do Option key startup, I get a black screen. After two minutes, I let go the key, and still just balck screen.
I am trying to choose startup disk during boot.
This problem seems to have started after I installed internal SATA drive running on Sonnet card.
James

Here is the article about Startup Manager.
http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=106178
Is you "Dual 500 G4" a Power Mac with AGP Graphics? I assume it is, but if you have an processor upgrade, maybe not.
Is it possible that the Sonnet card does not work with Startup Manager? If so, you may need to start up from another disk, or a Mac OS X Installation Disk, and choose your startup disk explicitly.

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Problems with using Option key when starting up

I have 3 internal drives using a PCI card (2 slots) that allows me to use large drives with more capacity than stock allowance on my G4 Quicksilver 867 mhz 1.5 GB RAM tower.
All drives are Seagate Baracudas ATA: 2-400GBs and 1-200GB. I bought the 400s at the same time.
My main drive has OSX 10.4.11 (#1), and it is backed up to Baracuda #2 (400GB) which is a slave to my Main drive (using SuperDuper All files for a mirror bootable copy). The 3rd drive has Leopard 10.5.1 for learning and trying Leopard.
On the second PCI slot is the smaller 200GB Baracuda.
After backing up using SuperDuper (Main to #2) as a mirror, I see #2 in the Apple > Prefs > Start Up Disk.
After the first backup I can see all 3 drives when using Option key at startup, but instead of seeing the names of each drive under the normal hard disk icons, #2 has a SCSI icon underneath the hard drive icon, it's name (Mac BU) is missing and I can't start up to it. The other #1 and #3 looked as expected. I chose #1, it launched, fine.
On second backup, #2 is still in Prefs > Start up Disk panel, but this time doesn't show up on when using the Option key at start up. I have replicated this, but erasing #2, rebacking up twice.
With only the #1 and #3 drives showing at start up with Option key and #1 selected in the Start up Disk panel, I chose #3 (Leopard) in the Option window view, and my G4 froze at the gray apple screen. I hard shut downed, powered up and the G4 defaulted to Main (10.4.11)
I selected #3 Leopard in Prefs > Start Up Disk, restarted OK.
I restarted with the Option key (only #1 and #3 show) and now my main drive didn't have it's name only the SCSI icon under the normal hard disk icon like #3 was doing. UGH!
Nervously, I chose #3 with Leopard and the G4 started up to it OK.
I then reselected my Main #1 drive in the Start Up Disk panel, restarted to #1 OK.
OK, problems summary:
1) I can't use SuperDuper to create a blessed bootable #2 drive at Option start up, but I mention this for more info about a possible problem at Option startup, more than I want comment on SuperDuper potential bug / conflict.
2) I didn't try choosing #3 in the Start Up Disk panel, as I was affraid the G4 would freeze and then I might not be able to select either of the other #1 or #3 at Option start up as something is wrong with using Option key start up, and #3 would have been selected in Start Up Panel, which I was afraid I might not be able to get to again.
2) When I start up either of #1 or #3, I get momentary black screens after the gray apple screen at Option key start up and then again after the apple progress bar. This doesn't happen when I start up directly either drive when the drives are selected using the Start Up Disk panel
When using the Option startup, I am experiencing the above problems.
Whew, I know, but does anyone have any input and fixes?
Thanks, in advance,
Steven

Hi Dave.
Well... good news / bad news
Turns out, I have an Acard 6280M and have 3 drives connected to it as mentioned (#1 & 2 are mirrored using SuperDuper with 10.5.1, #3 is a clean install off a new Apple OSX disk 10.5, then updated to 10.5.1)
I also have a Firewire external drive, that I used SuperDuper to make it a mirror of #1, using the same procedure backing up #1 to #2, to test SuperDuper.
The firmware update directions tells you to start up off a drive not on the PCI card, I used #4.
While running off #1, I selected #4 in the Start Up disk pref and it booted OK! This seems to rule out SuperDuper being the problem - of creating a mirror from #1 to #2 (both on the Acard) and then not seeing #2 in the Option key boot screen.
I applied the firmware, which directs you to first update the Acard driver to 2.06, which is included in the folder with the firmware updater.
I did this and then applied the firmware updater.
I then applied the driver upgrade to drives #1 and #2 (10.4.11) while running off #4. I did not apply the driver update to #3 (10.5.1) and restarted, using Option key.
All 4 drives appeared successfully on screen as expected with their names!
Then I selected each drive one by one:
#1 = kernal panic. Hard shut down, used Option key again
#2 = kernal panic, same as #1
#3 = froze at gray Apple screen - no spinning gear. Hard shut down.
Tthankfully, left Start Up disk pref to be #4 external and on restart, let the system boot off without going to the Option screen. #4 booted OK. Whew...
So all 3 drives on the Acard, won't boot. I was concerned it was the 2.06 driver, but since it wasn't applied to #3 Leopard drive, I'm assuming the firmware is the issue and perhaps not compatible with 10.4.11 or 10.5.1?
Two things I've not tried:
1) With #4 selected in Sys Prefs, then using Option key and selecting #4 there too to see if using the Option key selector is a problem too.
2) Selecting any of #1, #2, or #3 drives in Sys Prefs and restarting without Option key selector.
My fear is that if my last working drive #4 isn't the default drive set in Sys Prefs, if Acard isn't the problem alone and there is also a problem selecting any drive using the Option key - even #4, then if #4 isn't the default and all 3 Acard drives panic on regular boot (non-Option key) and I have to hard restart, will keep defaulting to whatever drive I set in the Sys Prefs and not be able to get back to #4.
Should I just go to my local computer store and see if they have a newer model PCI card and trash my existing one as I may have ruined it with the firmware updater?
Thoughts?

My configuration audio "output" is only numerique and I would like listen to audio by integrated loudspeaker. I can't use the keys "sound on my computer. If I click on I have a icon "forbiden". Can you help me

my configuration audio "output" is only numerique and I would like listen to audio by integrated loudspeaker. I can't use the keys "sound on my computer. If I click on I have a icon "forbiden". Can you help me

Si vous tappez sûr le cle <<option>> et cliquez vôtre souris de l'icon de haut-parleur
de le haut partie de sa Desktop, vous pouvez voir les choix pour le son: les haut-parleurs internales, Line out et Digital Out. C'est tout ! Ou cliquez de la Pomme a gauche, choissisez Préferences, et Son, et voila..... le meme chose.....
Merci d'avoir choisi Apple
John B

My Mac HD doesn't start up, I get the reinstall prompt and do not see a macintosh HD icon while starting up using option key

My Mac HD doesn't start up, I get the reinstall prompt and do not see a macintosh HD icon while starting up using option key.
When start up I land into the Mac OSX Installer. Has my LION crashed or the HD is not responding?

Try booting while holding down the Option key but make sure there aren't any disks in the optical drive first.
I just found this:
Select a startup disk *(on some computers)*
Option (To open the optical drive when choosing a startup disk, press ⌘-period.)
here. http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?path=Mac/10.5/en/cdb_strtup.html
Carolyn

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why can't you use the keyboard the way it is printed?

Can i use the key figure total delivery time in days in rows and how is can

Dear all,
Can i use the key figure total delivery time in days in rows and how is can.but all the key figures r used in rows but i cannot use in column.i want bothin rows and in column at a time ,can this is possible,and how.

Hi,
yes you can.You will have to use structure in the row.
Right click on the row and create a new structure.
In this structure you can add key figure.
Maximum number of structure a query can have is two
Please assign points if it helped you.
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Cannot get MacPro to allow me to boot to an alternative boot disk. Can choose in control panel but will not use the disk to boot. Also won't boot using disk selected using option key

My primary boot disk is encrypted as is a secondary boot disk (backup) but I cannot boot using any other disk. System 10.8.5, MacPro 4.1.
All disks mount using primary boot disk. All disks check out as OK and I have repaired permissions.
When I choose in the control panel the Mac boots but will always use my original boot disk.
When I select the disk using the option key at startup, the boot process stalls with a grey screen and a spinning cursor.
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Still trying to figure this out. I erased the drive, did a format using disk util and then re-installed the system but I still cannot get the disk used as a startup drive. I also tried an external firewire drive and it won't allow me to boot from it either.
I can choose it starting up with the option key but it just gives me a blue screen and the spinning cursor.
If I select it in the startup pref pane it boots into my other startup drive only.
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Unable to use option key on startup

My Macbook Pro is running Yosemite (version 10.10) and runs Windows 7 through Boot Camp.   Until now I have been able to hold down the Option key on startup to enable me to select OS X or Windows.   Starting today the option key does not make any difference and the computer always boots straight into Yosemite.
To eliminate a couple of possibilities:
1.   When in Yosemite I can use the Keyboard Viewer to show that the Option key does still work.
2.   If I go into settings I can select the startup disk as the Windows partition and then the computer always starts in Windows.   This shows that the Windows partition is still there and the Windows setup works.
Why can I not use the option key to allow me to select which operating system to use?

Sounds like he set the Open Firmware password - doing so will (intentionally) prevent these things. The good news is that you can undo this with some effort.
Defeating the OF password:
1) Change the amount of RAM in the machine.
2) There are programs out there that will (reportedly) extract the OF password allowing you access.
3) Resetting the PRAM 3x in a row and rebooting is supposed to do it as well. (Warning this information has been considered "secret" at times.)
Hope that helps. Searching for Open Firmware Password will give you way more information if you want it.
=Tod
G5/2.0x2, Dual XServes x2, XRAID, beige G3 501Mhz

Resized partition, now can only boot using option key

I made my boot camp partition larger and my os x partition smaller using a 3rd party program. I can still boot into windows, but only using the option key. When I look at my startup disks in OS X, only my OSX partition shows up. Is there any way to make snow leopard recognize this resized partition? Thanks!

Hi,
I am not familiar with that program but since it is a Windows program I doubt that it has installed anything in OSX.
Most likely that program wasn't even "aware" that it was used on a Mac running WIndows.
And it also might be that that is the reason for your problem.
To run Windows with BootCamp on a Mac OSX has to establish/use a form of hybrid GPT/MBR partitioning.
GPT for OSX and MBR for Windows.
That also means that using any kind pof partitioning tool (resizing etc.) would have to be done best in OSX since only OSX "knows" that there is a Windows partition and can handle the hybrid partitioning accordingly.
First thing I would propose (if not already there) is a backup / clone of your OSX onto an external HD.
Secondly boot your Mac from the OSX DVD and use Disk Utility from it to verify/repair your OSX.
Regards
Stefan

"DOS" screen before start up. Can't get to OS X without using Option key

Ever since i installed Leopard, when starting up or restarting, it goes straight to a black screen with a blinking cursor in the top left corner. It looks like its a DOS screen. The only way i can get to OS X is if i hold down the option key, as if i were using bootcamp. But the problem is, Im not using bootcamp! I only have one partition and it is the Mac partition. This is really annoying. Does anyone have a solution?

Go to system preferences and invoke "startup disk". If your boot disk is not currently chosen, then choose it. Restart.

Disk utility on startup using (option key) is locked

When trying to restore Macbook air disk utility dose not work. I start up using the command+R and the option key and at every time it goes straight to a big lock asking for some password I have no clue of. Please help! I cant get into disk utility to restore. the lock looks like this. Is there any type of password?

You need to supply the computer's firmware password. If you don't know and can't get it, contact Apple.
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OS X disappeared from "Option" key startup menu after Boot Camp

I ran Boot Camp Assistant until the part where I enter the XP CD. (I entered the version before service pack 1 by accident.)
I'm not sure if it's related, but I can no longer boot to Mac OS X. It just hangs on the gray screen (no logo) if there's no CD, or hangs on the black blinking cursor if there is a CD.
Windows shows up as a bootup option, but I never got the chance to install it.
What do I do?

Press and Hold the OPTION key during startup and see if you get the menu to load OSx. If you do then click on OSx and boot into Leopard. Run boot camp assistant again and remove the Windows partition to restore the HD back into its original state.
Axel F.

Can't use certain keys in Global Address Search

When trying to run a Global Address Search that starts with a letter that's on the numeric keypad (E, R, T, D, etc.) I cannot get it to search by the letter. E.g., if I press "D" it searches for "4". Pressing the Option (aka Orange) key doesn't toggle it to alpha mode. I can search using letters that aren't on the numeric keypad just fine. And if I my search starts with a letter that's not on the numeric keypad (e.g. "L") I can choose either "D" or "4" as the next letter, e.g., if I press "D" I see "4". If I then press "L" the 4 changes do a "d" and the search shows "dl". But if I erase the "l" the "d" switches back to "4".
Bottom line: I can't choose "D" as the first character in my search. I have to launch Contacts, then search. I'm on WebOS 1.4.
Robert

Hello.
It really doesn't work that way. When you type "D", the phone shows a "4", but it searchs for "D". There is no way to distinguish when you want to make a call by number from when you want to search, so the phone gives you both options.
Try to enter a "Dave Martin" contact in your phone and search him by pressing "DL", "DA" or "MA".
Regards.

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I am used to "Option" clicking on a color, while using the Brush tool, to set the foreground color. In CS6, it is updating the background color instead, even though the "Info" panel clearly says "Click to choose new foreground color" when I hold down the Option key. What setting am I missing?
The foreground color is the active color in the color swatches.
Manually selecting the Eyedropper tool and option-clicking, updates the foreground color. Simply clicking, updates the background color

I think that Conroy has given you the solution, but one can also toggle the Foreground and Background Colors with the X key. I assume that is the same (unless one has remapped it) on the Mac.
Good luck,
Hunt

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I recently replaced my HD in my Macbook Pro with an SSD. I used SuperDuper to create an image to an external USB drive that I had. I then removed the stock HD from the Macbook Pro, replaced it with the SSD, booted with the Lion install disc and went into disk utility, created a partition (Journaled, guid) and restored my SuperDuper image to it. Now, every time I reboot my MBP, it sits at the gray screen (no apple logo) for quite a while, then finally the apple will pop up and it will boot, although quite slowly. If I hold down the option key when I reboot, the option comes up right away for the SSD, I click it and it's very fast to boot. Once in the OS, the speed is awesome and no problems. I also used Onyx to check the startup volume, repair permissions, etc and everything went off without a hitch. No errors and according to that my startup volume is OK. Also updated to the latest 10.7.2 patch and that went fine too, although I had to use the option key on reboot.
Does anyone know what I could investigate that could be causing this boot issue. I'd like it to boot directly into the OS quickly without the option key. Is there somewhere that I have to specify a new primary boot device or something?

Go into sys preferences then startup disk and check highlight the SSD and select Reboot.
You also need to enable TRIM support.

Can't use Option key startup

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