Special boots with faulty shift key

My shift key has been faulty for a while after a minor accident which did not affect other parts of the computer (It was checked by a Mac technicial, this happended a long time ago), but since then I've had to boot my computer by holding down the escape key every time to prevent a safe boot, no problem, but cue to now, the past two days I've been having strange freezes on boot for 10-15 minutes mouse moves but cannot click, keyboard frozen. I would like to try: a. resetting the PRAM and b. running a hardware diagnostic from the CD, but I can manage to do neither presumably due to my faulty shift key problems.
Does anyone know how my shift key would interact with these other special startups? What key combinations should I try?
And
Is there a non-hold key on bootup way to do these tasks?
Thanks

ARReflections wrote:
Trust me if I thought it was the caplock key being stuck then I would not be posting this question in the first place.
The computer boots into safe mode and from what I understand, this happens when the shift key is pressed on boot up.
Thanks ARReflections for the clarification on your above statement. I miss read what you where trying to convey.
Agreed of coarse with eww assessment.
Don't rule out the problem shift key is the one you do not use regularly. Independent of cleaning under the key (DIY compressed air, removing the key cap for cleaning, etc) well could be narrowed down to the microswitch.
Depending on how far past warranty there is always the possibility it will still be honored as warranty repair, or fixed at the Genius Bar.
Apple Retail Store or an Apple Authorized Service Provider (AASP) for evaluation, or call your nearest Apple Contact Center. Genius Bar at the Apple Retail Store, make a reservation

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http://www.macmaps.com/kernelpanic.html Mac OS X Kernel Panic FAQ
http://www.index-site.com/kernelpanic.html Mac OS X Kernel Panic FAQ
http://www.thexlab.com/faqs/kernelpanics.html Resolving Kernel Panics
http://www.macfixit.com/article.php?story=20060911080447777 Avoiding and eliminating Kernel panics
http://macosg.com/group/viewtopic.php?t=800 12-Step Program to Isolate Freezes and/or Kernel Panics
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message edited by: cs

Booting holding the alt key

I try to boot my newly bought Mac Pro holding the alt key but I only get a blanc screen.
Holding shift or "c" or "d" is working, but it seems to freeze on holding the option-key.
I already tried to remove everything that is not "standard" (PCI eSata card, extra hdd).
Even did a clean reinstall of the OS but nothings helps.
Couldn't find much answers on the net.
Anybody a idea or suggestion?

What I did:
Booted from the original install dvd, started diskutility, checked al partitions (bootable and not).
No problem found.
Still with the install dvd in the optical I removed all hdd's and tried to boot with the alt-key. white screen.
I disconnected the optical drive and put one hdd with 2 partitions back in place. white screen.
Still with only 1 hdd I disconnected everything except the keyboard.
=> 2 bootable partitions found . . . whoohoo.
Connected 1 device at a time back untill I got again a white screen without bootable partition.
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RJ45 disconnected => correct startup with ALT-key
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Nothing special in the network.
A solution or reason for this would be nice, but now I know how to work around, so the 'urge' is gone now?

Special boots with faulty shift key

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