PowerMAc G4

WAs just given a PowerMac G4 quicksilver 800, unfortunately its password protected, ive got MAc OS 10.3 disks but no mac keyboard, so i hooked up my Microsoft wireless keyboard fired up the mac and pressed C to boot to CD, nothing happened so im guessing i have to go out and get a mac keyboard in order to reinstall OS X JAguar

You can use any USB keyboard on a Mac, and it should work. If it's a Windows keyboard, the Windows key would be the Command (Apple) key.

It will have the same functionality if it were a Mac keyboard.

That's weird though, because I have a wireless trackball, and it works during a dvd/cd-booted setup. I think that might be because when you first hook a keyboard in, it'll ask you to basically calibrate it to what region you're in (North American, Japanese, etc).

Try a wired USB keyboard and see if that works.

have an old intel usb keyboard when i hook that up and reboot it ejects my cd..

Strange, it should work.. I'm booting into Tiger though. I don't see how that should make a difference.

Do you have another keyboard you could try? Or possibly a friend with a Mac keyboard?

Man u wanna talk rotten luck...got my neighbors mac keyboard just now and guess what the freakin C key does not work...as this g4 is password protected i tried a fake password cake and the c does not work...oh well its Macstation tomorrow for a new keyboard

I have used Logitech, Microsoft, Dell, Gateway and many others on USB on a G4 just like yours. All work. It sounds like there is a issue with that old IBM keyboard. My logitech Wireless keyboard and mouse who's receiver plugs into the USB port works also holding down C. You are having bad luck for sure!!