12-31-2009, 12:47 AM

I have Bootcamp set up with XP for games but since I use a non-Apple keyboard I can't use the "Hold the alt key at boot" to get the dual boot menu. I can get back and forth by using the Startup Disk menu in OSX and Dual Boot manager in XP but that is fairly cumbersome.

Anybody know of a way to force the dual boot menu to appear every time? I believe that I have seen a Mac that is set up that way in the store (200 miles away, alas). It would just sit at the screen with the picture of the two disk drives until the mouse was clicked or a key was pressed. So I think it is possible - I just haven't googled it up or found it in the System Preferences.

12-31-2009, 04:42 AM

There is no option without a 3rd party app for the boot menu to show up on every boot.

The recommended app for this is rEFIt.

There are a lot of people that do not use Apple keyboards (I would bet most that use an external keyboard do not) that are able to get to the boot menu by pressing 'alt'.

You can also bring up the boot menu with the menu button on your Apple remote.

12-31-2009, 08:26 PM

Well, then I can stop looking in OSX.

I have a PC keyboard with two alt keys, but no amount of pressing of them (or the ctrl, F8 or any other) will bring up the menu. Too old I guess.

It would never have occurred to me that a remote would do it.

Thanks

12-31-2009, 10:03 PM

Try pressing the Option key after the chimes and keep held until the gear wheel shows up.

12-31-2009, 11:04 PM

Originally Posted by harryb2448

Try pressing the Option key after the chimes and keep held until the gear wheel shows up.

Yes, unlike on a Windows machine where you would just hit a key once to get into the BIOS or go to safe mode, etc.; you need to press the alt key and hold it down until the boot menu shows.

01-01-2010, 01:20 PM

I have held down the Alt, CTRL, Enter and most other control keys trying to find one that works, but no luck so far. Unfortunately, using a utility like doublecommand, while it allows building an Option key, the utility obviously doesn't get loaded until long after the boot process.

Also, my machine was delivered with the wireless keyboard, which I hate from an ergonomic standpoint. I have to have a tactile feedback keyboard or my typing goes back to two fingers. But the wireless Option/Alt key doesn't bring up the menu either. I assume that it is because bluetooth doesn't become active until the OS does.

I am out of keyboards - at least for this weekend. I will borrow a couple of different types next week and try them.

Thanks

01-01-2010, 02:15 PM

You're right about the wireless keyboard not working for these purposes. Wireless keyboards are not recognized early enough in the boot process to bring up the menu that you want.

I'm not sure why you are not getting that menu by pressing and holding the alt key. It has worked with every Windows keyboard I've tried as long as I remembered to press the key immediately after the startup chime.

01-01-2010, 10:49 PM

I have held down the Alt, CTRL, Enter and most other control keys trying to find one that works, but no luck so far. Unfortunately, using a utility like doublecommand, while it allows building an Option key, the utility obviously doesn't get loaded until long after the boot process.

Strange that the Windows keyboard didn't work. The ALT key should have done the job.... Anyway, why not download and install "BootPicker". That will automatically display a dual boot menu each time. All you have to do is move the arrow and press enter to choose. BootPicker is free.

Regards.