Mac mini won't boot - keyboard shortcuts don't work

Older Intel Mac Mini that I use as an entertainment / movie center. Leopard.
I did a software update recently, but somehow botched it and interrupted the process.
Ever since then, it won't start up correctly. It chimes, disk powers up, but then it gets stuck on the screen with the apple and rotating propeller. Can go on for hours if you let it.
Took it to a dealer, who said it started up fine from another system an I should try starting it in target disk mode an reinstall the OS.
Bought a USB keyboard specifically so I could press the T and tried it.
It seems that none of the keyboard shortcuts work. I tried target disk mode (T), starting from a system disk (C), tried having it give me a choice of bootable volumes (Option) - nothing. It would appear the Mini doesn't recognize my brand new Apple USB keyboard.
Tried the keyboard with my MacBook and there it works fine.
Any ideas?

OK, just found the answer while browsing the "more like this" answers that appeared after I posted my question.
I wasn't aware that the new Apple Aluminium Keyboard doesn't play nice with the Mini and that the Mini doesn't recognize this particular keyboard in time for the boot sequence.
Thank you for these helpful discussions:
https://discussions.apple.com/message/9306774#9306774
https://discussions.apple.com/message/9084810?messageID=9084810
https://discussions.apple.com/thread/1477855?threadID=1477855&tstart=0
Using the remote (press the menu key during boot-up) worked fine and I could choose to boot from a system disk.
Spending $60 for a new keyboard that won't do what I bought it for is, however, another story. Grr.

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Message was edited by: Yijian Cao

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My Mac mini won't boot anymore. It's been running fine for months.
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I booted off the install DVD, ran disk utility, repaired the HD, repaired the permissions: the behavior is the same.
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May 15 18:38:58 server emond[67]: SetUpLogs: opening /Library/Logs/EventMonitor/EventMonitor.error.log
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May 15 18:39:24 server loginwindow[58]: Login Window Started Security Agent
May 15 18:39:29 server servermgrd[53]: servermgr_calendar: created default calendar virtual host
May 15 18:39:31 server ARDAgent [146]: ******ARDAgent Launched******
May 15 18:39:32 server ARDAgent [146]: ******ARDAgent Ready******
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May 15 18:39:54 server Python[47]: CGImageSourceCreateWithData data parameter is nil
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May 15 18:49:54 server kernel[0]: serialnumberd 194 FSWRITEDATA SBF /dev/dtracehelper 13 (seatbelt)
May 15 18:49:54 server kernel[0]: serialnumberd 194 FSREADDATA SBF /dev/autofs_nowait 13 (seatbelt)
May 15 18:49:54 server kernel[0]: serialnumberd 194 FSREADDATA SBF /usr/sbin 13 (seatbelt)
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Fix The Bugs Please wrote:
It is unlikely to be a hardware failure as the Mac Mini was made in May 2014 and I bought factory refurbished. It seems to be an issue relating to the SSD as it boots other drives.
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Mac Mini won't boot, distorted startup chime, gray screen

Hi all --
I've seen similar posts (http://discussions.apple.com/thread.jspa?messageID=12170891&#12170891) but thought I'd start a new one, mainly because I haven't heard anyone mention the startup chime.
I woke up my 2007 stock Mac Mini Friday morning and the cursor was frozen. Unplugged and replugged the mouse to no avail. Couldn't force quit, so I had to power down. Restarted with a badly distored startup chime (not "speaker breakup" from excessive volume, just distortion, and some "stuttering") and a gray screen that didn't go away. Restarted many, many times. Inserted Snow Leopard DVD to run Disc Utility but it wasn't recognized -- just a gray screen. Tried resetting the PMU and SMC with no results. Tried booting into single-user mode (with a wired USB keyboard) to eject the DVD, but no luck. Tried open firmware, but nothing. Once in an while I would get the Apple icon and a spinning progress bar that never went away.
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Thanks.
The Genius was able to get to the Apple logo and spinning... thing (what used to be the beachball). His theory was that as long as the Snow Leopard disc was in there, the boot process would never get to the Firewire port. Once I got home I literally pried the Snow Leopard disc out and put in the original install disc. But any progress whatsoever ends in the system bomb message.
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A search of "gray screen of death" shows this happening to a lot of models.

New mac mini won't boot.

Sorry I couldn't wait for a refresh. So I went to FRYS and got the last 529 mini. Under 600 and I got a mini 2.3ghz i5 and and 16gb flash stick for under 600 which is normally 600 plus tax.
Good deal. I'm so happy. Sorry I got impatient and couldn't wait for the refresh.
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What happened was I plugged the keyboard and mouse into my hub by mistake and it was not plugged. But the mini should of booted anyway without anything. I guess not however. So all is good now. But my wireless mouse still won't work even with unplugging it. But sliding the switch at the bottom on and off worked and now all is good thanks.

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That is good news...the genius bar folks are generally great to deal with. Especially when you make an appointment and don't get all upset while waiting for someone to get free
As was said at the outset, be careful about software you install, not all is really good or necessary. If in doubt, just pose a question on here and you will get sound advice. We are all fellow users, many of whom have learned the hard way.
Keep in mind, this is a Mac OS X machine, not Windows which has everyone in the world writing viruses to attack.
Have a Happy New Year.

Mac mini won't boot - keyboard shortcuts don't work

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