While your Mac starts up press:
Command-s » Start up in Single-User mode
Command-v » Start up in Verbose mode
Shift » Start up in Safe Boot mode and temporarily disable login items
c » Start up from a bootable CD
n » (Attempt to) Start up from a compatible network server (NetBoot)
t » Start up in FireWire Target Disk mode
x » Force Mac OS X startup
Command-Option-Shift-Delete » Bypass the primary startup volume and seek a different startup volume (f.i. an external disk or CD)
Command-Option-p-r » Startup to zap the PRAM
Hold Down the mouse button » causes an optical drive to eject its CD or DVD. N.B. This will not work when using a Bluetooth keyboard.
Hold Down Shift key immediately after you hear the startup tone and when you see the progress indicator (looks like a spinning gear) release the Shift key » causes a start up in Safe Mode i.e. only essential Mac OS X items will start!
Hold Down the LEFT Shift key when you see the spinning gear » Prevents automatic login.
Remarks
- 'Command' also known as
'Apple
key' (⌘;
the Apple key symbol
disappeared from keyboards released
on august 7th 2007 and later) - 'Option' also known as 'Alt'
- Function also known as Fn
» Overview of the keyboard symbols