Can iMac be set to show both drive icons......

on start up without holding down 'option' key? Frivolous question to some I suppose. Thanks, ocala.

No, the 'option' key is required. Otherwise, OSX defaults to whatever you have set in the SystemPreferences->Startup Disk.

ocala said:

on start up without holding down 'option' key? Frivolous question to some I suppose. Thanks, ocala.

Click to expand...

Your Mac has a predetermined startup drive that you choose from "System Preferences > Startup Disk". Thus that is the drive your Mac will boot from.

If you want to boot from a different drive on startup...you do exactly like you mentioned (hold down the option key).

Startup Manager: How to select a startup volume

Basically what you want your Mac to do is somehow "emulate" holding down the option key on startup so you don't have to press it with your finger.

Do you actually boot your computer from different drives that often that this would be a useful tool, versus occasionally having to hold down the option key on startup to chose a different boot drive...just curious?

- Nick

So many shortcuts in computers these days, I thought I'd ask. Thank you for the response. I switch back and forth between PC and Mac often during a "computer session" printing photos, play a few games, surf the net. I am retired so the computer is one my hobbies. Thanks again, ocala.