Mac Pro only booting with option key down

I have an 8-core mac pro that is great except for some odd booting issues. I have 3 internal drives, one with OSX 10.4.9 on it, the other with just files and the last with windows XP. I also, at times, have USB drives (or an iPod) plugged into the mac. When I restart, even if I have selected a boot volume in the startup settings, the machine will just go black. Sometimes it will play the startup chime multiple times, other times only once or not at all. The only way to get it to boot up into osx or windows is to hold down options. Even then, it only seems to work if I unplug all external drives from the machine. Any ideas whats going on or how I might fix this?
Thanks!

If you remove all of your USB/FireWire devices will your start up issue go away. What about resetting PRAM…
http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=2238

Similar Messages

Macbook pro only boot with R key

I have a problem with a macbook pro .
I have snow leopard and after running onyx my computer only boot with the R key pressed , I have tried option-command-PR , reset SMC , repair permissions without success .
I have an external apple led cinema but with or without the error continues .
Any help would be appreciated.
Thanks

Why did you try booting with the R key pressed? From what I recall that key simply resets the screen settings, and shouldn't have anything to do with your system starting or not. I would remove it from the external display until we can get this resolved.
I'm wondering if it has something to do with your NVRAM. Try booting with this key sequence cmd-opt-n-v.

No screen displayed when booting with options key held down

When I hold the option key down to select which OS I want to boot into I am getting nothing displayed on the screen but the booting has paused waiting for my input because I can use the cursor keys and return to get the system to boot.
Anyone got any ideas as to why I cant see the choices?
Thanks
Gary

Just a quick follow up on this problem. I have just tried the Mac Mini on my TV using the HDMI port and I get the boot menu displayed when holding down the Option Key and it works fine. The issues are arising when I plug a VGA adaptor into the mini display port and use that with my monitor. The monitor is not reporting any out of range or sync signals while booting and I have tried 3 different monitors of various ages and all have the same result.
I also get no apple logo or any display while OSX is loading when I use the monitor
Gary

New SSD only boots when option key held down.

I recently cloned the original HDD in my mid-2009 MBP [2,53] to a brand new SSD. I put the SSD in an external enclosure, formatted and then cloned.
Then I put replaced the internal HDD with the SSD and put the HDD to rest in a drawer forever. If I hold down option upon startup, I'm able to choose the new SSD and launch. But if I just turn my MBP on, I simply get a white/grey screen.
Not a giant problem, but not sure why it would not just boot normally. Is there some kind of step required to make the new SSD the default startup drive?
Thank you.

Shootist007 wrote:
Also if this one one of these new iMacs that come with the bluetooth wireless keyboards that is also the problem. These BT keyboard are not recognized right away when the system turns on so it is a Hit & Miss type of thing getting any of the Boot Options to work correctly. If you press to soon it is not registered. If you pres to late the system has already bypassed the system to use the boot option keys. this is not only for the Option key press to bring up the Boot selection screen. it also doesn't work for the Recovery HD boot or the boot from DVD key and any other boot option keys.
As far as I can tell the window in which you should press the key runs from the start (but not before) of the chime to before it ends (bit vague).

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

OSX No Longer Default Boot - Have To Boot With "Option" Key

I tried to dual boot my Macbook Pro Retina 15" (running Mavericks 10.9.5) with Windows 8.1 Pro using mac's "Boot Camp Assistant".
Everything went fine until I entered the Windows Set-Up and then had to cancel it (because I can't find my Product Key). Thats fine, I was just trying out the dual-boot feature - I don't care if I cannot get Windows to work.
PROBLEM: Now, every time I restart my computer, I have to do it while holding the Option key, or else I get the message: No bootable device -- insert boot disk and press any key
When I hold the Option key, I only have the option to boot into the regular Mac OSX, so Im not sure why it is not booting into by default.
I re-partitioned my HD to not have the Windows partition on it at all, and when I go back into Boot Camp Assistant I do not have the option to "remove Windows partition", but I still have to hold the Option key when I turn on my Mac to actually boot into my OSX.
Basically, how do I make OSX my default boot like it was before (as it is the only one on the HD)?
Thanks!

Yea, that's the disk that you are supposed to select as startup disk as it contains files that boots your OS X
recovery partition usually has the word RECOVERY labeled on the recovery partition along OS X it's usually labelled
something like 'OSX RECOVERY'
Good Luck Mate!

My Mac Pro ONLY Boots up in safe mode

My Mac Pro hangs in boot mode forever (screen after the Gray Logo Screen). I'm unable to use the recovery partion, or boot from USB installation. I did all the usual troubleshooting e.g. reset SMC, NVRAM, etc. I tested the boot drive externally on an iMac and boots just fine. I checked the permissions running Disc Utility and get a lot of the "display" plists have the wrong permission settings. Does this mean my graphics card is bad? The Mac Pro is the stock 2006 model, 2.66 Ghz QuadCore Xeon with 2GBs or RAM.

Thanks for your help Grant Bennet-Alder. I've tried this as well. When I boot up holding the Option key, the screen shows both the Recovey_HD and the Boot Volume graphically. Whether I choose by clicking on the Recovery_HD or the main Boot Volume the same thing happens - the screen after the Gray Apple Logo Screen. I tried booting by this same method with my old installation discs that came with the Mac Pro to see if I can just install a new System folder and it triggers the Kernel Panic screen (See Below - Grayed out screen with Black Pop Up saying "You Need to Restart Your Computer..." Seems I can't even restore my Mac.

System Preferences Startup Disk Vs. Boot with Option key depressed.

External FW drive connected via standard 400 FW cable, is recognized by System Preferences>Startup Disk, proving that it contains a valid OS X system. But when selected, and clicking Restart, first in the System Preferences>Startup Disk window, then in the modal dialogue, the computer beeps, but does not restart. Same behavior when the computer's internal drive is selected.
The only way to select a startup disk is booting the computer (select Restart from Apple Menu) holding the Option key, clicking the required icon, and then clicking the arrow at the right end of the window.
I have run DiskWarrior, zapped the PRAM (that should take care of startup settings), no change.
Sum up: System Preferences>Startup Disk does not perform.
Powerbook PPC.

Charly,
there might be a timing problem. At the time when the Mac PRAM asks for the startup disk the firewire disk might not be "present" yet. Can you turn on the external disk manually?
Does the preference pane "remember" your selection of the startup disk or does it change it back to the internal disk?
You might want to run some system maintenance, especially clean the caches: Mac OS X 10.3/10.4: System maintenance
If this answered your question please consider granting some stars: Why reward points?

Removed bootcamp now can only boot with option

I recently removed my windows xp on a bootcamp partition....now when I reboot the imac, I get a message that says there is no bootable drive....use installation discs....
If I power up with my remote's menu button held, it starts like bootcamp used too but only shows the mac HD....and it boots fine in that case.....I think some remnant of the original bootcamp wasn't removed....How can I fully remove it?

Open the Startup Disk pane of System Preferences and select the Mac OS X system.
(41522)

12 hour kernel panic, resolved with option key, but why?

i have no idea why my ppc G5 failed to start this morning.
booted up last night at 10:30, read mail, went to see new video from "within temptation" emailed to me from student - also went to their website and to the site of 'nightwish"
listened to 2 samples and then went to watch 24.
shut down computer about 2am, having forgotten it was on.
it is scheduled to autoboot at 6:16am with itunes playing as my alarm.
this morning it did not complete booting before kernal panic. it would not boot
ran diskwarrior 4.1, it found 33% out of order and fixed most - still are some problems with SUID files, that i understand may not be problems, just un-updated database files. it went into kernal panic when i tried to check my other 500gig seagate drive (i have 2 internal drives) that is home to timemachine and DVD movies (250gig of each). inserted leopard disc, ran permissions and several were corrected, some would not be repaired. verified both discs - both are good.
from apple site (run from my macbook) shut down booted with 'X' pressed - no go.
then booted with 'option' key pressed, selected my hard disc and everything booted normally.....why?
as a 10yr apple user, if you can tell me why this happened &/or how i can avoid it in the future i'd really appreciate it
thankyou
DETAILS:
Tue Apr 7 16:38:59 2009
Unresolved kernel trap(cpu 0): 0x400 - Inst access DAR=0x0000000005F9D000 PC=0x0000000000000000
Latest crash info for cpu 0:
Exception state (sv=0x5962a280)
PC=0x00000000; MSR=0x40009030; DAR=0x05F9D000; DSISR=0x40000000; LR=0x00000000; R1=0x5967FAE0; XCP=0x00000010 (0x400 - Inst access)
Backtrace:
0x00000000
backtrace terminated - unaligned frame address: 0x0000001C
Proceeding back via exception chain:
Exception state (sv=0x5962a280)
previously dumped as "Latest" state. skipping...
Exception state (sv=0x5961a000)
PC=0x00000000; MSR=0x0000D030; DAR=0x00000000; DSISR=0x00000000; LR=0x00000000; R1=0x00000000; XCP=0x00000000 (Unknown)
BSD process name corresponding to current thread: kernel_task
Mac OS version:
Not yet set
Kernel version:
Darwin Kernel Version 9.6.0: Mon Nov 24 17:39:01 PST 2008; root:xnu-1228.9.59~1/RELEASE_PPC
System model name: PowerMac7,2
panic(cpu 0 caller 0xFFFF0004): 0x400 - Inst access
Latest stack backtrace for cpu 0:
Backtrace:
0x0009BCF0 0x0009C694 0x00029EA0 0x000AFC10 0x000B32F8
Proceeding back via exception chain:
Exception state (sv=0x5962a280)
PC=0x00000000; MSR=0x40009030; DAR=0x05F9D000; DSISR=0x40000000; LR=0x00000000; R1=0x5967FAE0; XCP=0x00000010 (0x400 - Inst access)
Backtrace:
0x00000000
backtrace terminated - unaligned frame address: 0x0000001C
Exception state (sv=0x5961a000)
PC=0x00000000; MSR=0x0000D030; DAR=0x00000000; DSISR=0x00000000; LR=0x00000000; R1=0x00000000; XCP=0x00000000 (Unknown)
BSD process name corresponding to current thread: kernel_task
*SYSTEM CONFIG*
Model: PowerMac7,2, BootROM 5.1.4f0, 2 processors, PowerPC 970 (2.2), 2 GHz, 5 GB
Graphics: kHW_ATIrv351Item, ATY,RV351, spdisplaysagpdevice, 256 MB
Memory Module: DIMM0/J11, 256 MB, DDR SDRAM, PC3200U-30330
Memory Module: DIMM1/J12, 256 MB, DDR SDRAM, PC3200U-30330
Memory Module: DIMM2/J13, 256 MB, DDR SDRAM, PC3200U-30330
Memory Module: DIMM3/J14, 256 MB, DDR SDRAM, PC3200U-30330
Memory Module: DIMM4/J41, 1 GB, DDR SDRAM, PC3200U-30330
Memory Module: DIMM5/J42, 1 GB, DDR SDRAM, PC3200U-30330
Memory Module: DIMM6/J43, 1 GB, DDR SDRAM, PC3200U-30330
Memory Module: DIMM7/J44, 1 GB, DDR SDRAM, PC3200U-30330
Modem: MicroDash, UCJ, V.92, 1.0F, APPLE VERSION 2.6.7
Network Service: Built-in Ethernet, Ethernet, en0
PCI Card: firewire, ieee1394, SLOT-3
Serial ATA Device: ST3500630AS, 465.76 GB
Serial ATA Device: ST3500630AS, 465.76 GB
Parallel ATA Device: PIONEER DVD-RW DVR-106D, 7.51 GB
USB Device: hub_device, (null) mA
USB Device: EPSON Scanner, (null) mA
USB Device: deskjet 5550, (null) mA
USB Device: Hub in Apple Extended USB Keyboard, (null) mA
USB Device: Apple Optical USB Mouse, (null) mA
USB Device: Apple Extended USB Keyboard, (null) mA
USB Device: USB Receiver, (null) mA
FireWire Device: iLINK DRIVE, SONY, 400mbit_speed
FireWire Device: unknown_device, unknown_value, unknown_speed
thanks!
Message was edited by: Moderator

I have no idea what could have caused the kernel panic, how to read a back-trace, or why the problem may have corrected itself after an option-key reboot.
However, in an unrelated topic, this statement raises some concerns:
..."ran diskwarrior 4.1, it found 33% out of order and fixed most - still are some problems with SUID files, that i understand may not be problems"...
I have never used "DiskWarrior" so am not familiar with details of the versions, but if permissions were repaired while booted from the "Disk Warrior" disk (which I assume was done since the system was described as unbootable from the drive) and if the OS contained on that disk was 10.4, and if the system on the hard drive was upgraded to 10.5 from an earlier version, then it is likely that "DiskWarrior" has reset the system's permissions to 10.4 values, which are incompatible with 10.5.
Furthermore, if the SUID messages appeared as a result of such an action, "repair permissions" in 10.5 will not repair them, and the messages do not fall into the category of those that should be ignored, potentially indicating that the system is in a state with security issues. Those familiar with the command line may be able to manually correct the permissions, but otherwise, an "archive and install" is likely the only recourse.
from:
http://www.alsoft.com/DiskWarrior/support.html
..."Note: If you have used any utility to repair permissions of a Leopard startup disk while started from Mac OS X 10.4 or earlier, Alsoft recommends that you perform an upgrade install of Leopard over your existing Leopard install. This will restore any changed permissions to their original values without altering your data."...

I did force shutdown on my MacBook Pro (2006 year, 15.4"), so, when I tried to boot, it shows apple logo (as usual) and shuts down. When I booting MacBook with Option key pressed it shows lock icon and field for password. Please help me.

I did force shutdown on my MacBook Pro (2006 year, 15.4"), so, when I tried to boot, it shows apple logo (as usual) and shuts down. When I booting MacBook with Option key pressed it shows lock icon and field for password. Please help me.

Wait for advice on repairing a damaged filesystem. Forceshutdown stops processs in mid-stream and leaves some parts not-valid.
Do not proceed until you get that avice.

Start with the Option key down - Which port to connect the keyboard?

When I need to start my Mac with the Option key down in order to select a boot volume, I have noticed that the system ignores the Option key press and boots into a previous boot volume if a USB keyboard is plugged into an external USB hub. That's understandable because the boot sequence may not detect the keyboard on the external USB bus fast enough for the system to recognize the Option key press.
My Mac will always recognize the Option key press at a boot time if the USB keyboard is plugged into a USB port on the Mac.
I want to know what if the boot sequence will detect the keyboard +soon enough+ to recognize the Option key press if the keyboard is connected to a USB port on a PCIe USB expansion card.
If you know the answer, please let me know because, if the answer is no, I would not want to invest money into an expansion card.

Even if it doesn't work with the card, you can plug the keyboard into a built-in port and use the card's ports for other USB devices. The total number of USB ports would be the same.

When starting up my iMac with Option Key held down, my recovery partition shows 10.9 instead of 10.10. How do I install the correct recovery partition?

iMac (27-inch, Mid 2011)
Yosemite 10.10.1
When I start up my iMac with option key held down, the recovery partition is shown as 10.9 instead of 10.10 which is the installed version.
How do I install the proper recovery partition?

Thanks very much for the quick reply. I figured it would something that simple. Like I said, I only know enough to cause trouble. LOL
Thanks again, Guess I need to find a new game to play. LOL

My Mac Pro (Late 2013) with an Apple SSD as the only storage will not restart

I have a Mac Pro (Late 2013) with an APPLE SSD SM0256F as the only storage. When I restart all I get is the spinning bars. I have to manually hold the power button down to force shutdown. I have let it try to restart for as long as 30 minutes. It will start just fine from a shutdown. I am running Yosemite 10.10.2 (14C1510). I have used Disk Utility with no errors. The only time I need to restart is after a system upgrade. I have tried, as others have suggested, selecting the drive from the Startup Drive preferences with no difference. Any help is much appreciated!

Try resetting the SMC and NVRAM
Intel-based Macs: Resetting the System Management Controller (SMC)
About NVRAM and PRAM
Next note the time of text problem and then after reboot open the Console app and look for log entries at that time. Post suspicious ones here

I just created a new iPhoto library with holding the option key down and then opening iPhoto with version 7.1.5. I changed the name of the first library to iPhoto library 1 and now I all my photos are gone. My operating system is Mavericks.

I just created a new iPhoto library with holding the option key down and then opening iPhoto with version 7.1.5. I changed the name of the first library to iPhoto library 1 and now I all my photos are gone. My operating system is Mavericks.

launch iPhoto wile holding down the option key and select the original library - when you create a new library of course it is empty
And you seriously need to backup your iPhoto library and purchase and install iPhoto '11 version 9.5.x from the App store and download and run the iPhoto library upgraded \then run the new iPhoto - 7.1.5 is not fully compatible with Mavericks
LN
PS you also need to update your profile - it states that you have OS X 10.6.8

Mac Pro only booting with option key down

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