You set your Mac or Macbook which disk to start up from when more than one startup disk is connected. This works for USB drives including the NinjaStik
Boot Menu Key Bios Key; Sony: VAIO Duo, Pro, Flip, Tap, Fit: Assist Button (Use the Assist Button when the computer is off, not when it is booting). The Mac menubar keyboard command (keystroke) Sure enough, when using an Apple keyboard, if the Control F2 keystroke doesn't give you access to the Mac menubar (menu system), try the fn Control F2 keystroke and see if that works for you. You'll be able to tell instantly, as focus will be moved to the 'apple' menu on your Mac menubar.
- Print these boot option keys, because they’re particularly helpful to have. Pulled the drive sled and put in original Mac Pro, same problem; it appears to boot to Mac desktop, menu bar dimmed, no cursor. Cannot access the Mac OS drive by any normal means. The SSD was originally partitioned and formatted in Mac Disk Utility, then Mavericks 10.
- To get started, boot your Mac in Safe Mode by holding down the Shift key at startup. Log in to your Mac normally, and you should see the macOS Utilities app open. Select Disk Utility and press Continue. Then, from the Disk Utility sidebar, select the volume that you’re using and choose File Mount from the Menu bar at the top of the screen.
- For iMac retina, I have to plug the windows keyboard to the outer usb port and then press alt key on the left side to boot into the boot menu and see things like bootable usb drive. Share Improve this answer.
For 2018 to 2020 Macs with the Secure Boot T2 Chip, see the 2020 Macbook Pro Boot from USB instructions.
A “startup disk” is a volume or partition of a drive that contains a bootable operating system.
You can set your Mac to automatically use a specific startup volume, or you can temporarily override this choice at startup.
- From the Apple menu choose System Preferences.
- Click the Startup Disk icon in System Preferences, or choose View > Startup Disk.
- Select your startup disk from the list of available volumes.
The next time you start up or restart your computer, your Mac starts up using the operating system on the selected volume.
Temporarily change your startup disk with Startup Manager
Startup Manager allows you to pick a volume to start from while the computer is starting up.
Use these steps to choose a startup disk with Startup Manager:
- Turn on or restart your Mac.
- Immediately press and hold the Option key. After a few seconds, the Startup Manager appears. If you don’t see the volume you want to use, wait a few moments for Startup Manager to finish scanning connected drives.
- Use your mouse or trackpad, or left and right arrow keys to select the volume you want to use.
- Double-click or press the Return key to start up your Mac from the volume you selected.
If you have an optical drive connected to your computer, you can insert an installation disc to see it in Startup Manager. You can also attach FireWire or USB external hard drives that contain an operating system to add to the list of startup volumes.
Startup Manager automatically adds bootable volumes as you connect them.
Restart in OS X from Boot Camp
If you have started up your Mac in Windows using Boot Camp, you can use the Boot Camp system tray to switch your startup disk default back to OS X.
- In Windows, click the Boot Camp icon in the system tray.
- From the menu that appears, choose Restart in OS X.
Start from OS X Recovery
You can also start your Mac from OS X Recovery or Internet Recovery if your Mac was manufactured after 2011.
To start your Mac from the Recovery System, use these steps:
- Start up or restart your computer.
- Hold down the Command and R keys on your keyboard until you see the Apple logo appear onscreen.
If you don’t see a volume listed
If you don’t see the volume you want to start your computer from, check the following:
- If you’re using an external drive, make sure it’s connected and turned on.
- Make sure you’ve installed an operating system, like OS X or Windows on the drive you’re trying to start from. Volumes that don’t contain a valid operating system aren’t listed in Startup Disk or Startup Manager.
- If you’ve installed an operating system on a drive but it isn’t listed, the volume you’re trying to start from might need repair. If the volume contains OS X, start your computer from OS X Recovery and use Disk Utility to repair the volume, or reinstall OS X on the volume using the Recovery System.
- Depending on the Mac you are using and the version of OS X that is installed, the Recovery System volume (Recovery HD) might not show up in Startup Manager. Press Command-R during startup to start your Mac from the Recovery System.
For 2018 / 2019 Macbook Pro with the Secure Boot T2 Chip, see the 2018 Macbook Pro Boot from USB instructions.
A few of the older bits may be found scattered across the web.
Once prevalent now like shed leaves, some sites are gone...
• Magical Macintosh Key Sequences: (boot)
This is available in PDF also, according to the link here:
A variety of keyboard shortcuts and commands can be used during a Mac
system startup to access various features, systems administration utilities ...
osxdaily.com/2007/01/12/10-must-know-startup-commands/
And another more common short-list that started out in 2004; with 2015 update.
From the older dual-boot 9/X Apple with keyboard and its shortcuts: changes.
• Mac OS X - Keyboard Shortcuts:
Macbook Pro Boot Menu
• Apple Macintosh Boot Key Combos:
{Another problem exists where a newer aluminum Apple USB
keyboard won't work with certain older PPC Mac models; &
the same sort of thing happened earlier with G5 Mac USBs.}
Other sources may be lucked into if you search diligently.
Some longer standing sites have seen recent updates so
their content has later hardware versions of startup keys.
While some keyboard shortcuts and start sequences were rolled
into the later hardware build version Mac OS X, some were re-
assigned to perform other tasks, or simply no longer in reference.
And then, there are more of the same with a list of 'ALL' shortcuts.
Apple Boot Keys
Imac Boot Keys
Dan Rodney's List of Mac Keyboard Shortcuts & Keystrokes:
{Sorry that my older bookmarks lists have yield more failed links than
I realize - because I've not used my old PM pre-OS X PPC for awhile.}
Good luck & happy trails! 🙂
Jun 11, 2017 1:07 AM