Can't reboot iMac in Recovery Mode

[SyrupFiend]

Hello,

Sorry if this is a dumb question.
I am trying to do a complete factory reset of my Mac and need to start it in recovery mode. Everywhere I've looked says to just push Cmd-R (or in my case Ctrl-R as I use a Windows keyboard) when the startup sound happens. However the sound never happens....Nevertheless I push and hold Ctrl-R at the time I know the sound usually occurs, but nothing happens. It just starts as normal. I've tried like 10 times and I'm not sure what to do at this point. Am I pushing it at the wrong time? Wrong buttons cause I'm using a Windows keyboard? It seems a bit ridiculous that this is the only way to start in recovery since it seems so factored on timing your key pushing correctly.


And help and advice would be much appreciated!

Thank you.

 

[pm-r]

Yes, timing can be a bit fussy but you've got a compounded problem using a Windows keyboard.

Do you have access to a Mac keyboard??

Or you could try booting and press and hold the alt key but only when you hear the boot sound, and it may give you an option to select and use the Recovery HD as a boot source.





- Patrick
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[chscag]

What year and model iMac do you have and which version of OS X is installed? And why in the world are you using a Windows keyboard? You didn't say whether the keyboard was wireless or wired. A wired keyboard is a must when doing any kind of trouble shooting. And last question: Why do you need to restart your iMac in recovery mode? Any problems with it? And by the way, on a Windows keyboard recovery mode is Windows Key + R, not Control + R.