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ThePolarCat

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Apr 21, 2023
3
0
Hello,

I have an odd issue with my MacBook Pro mid 2010 laptop, I’m trying to enter the boot drive selection menu while holding the right option key Immediately after I start the machine, however it proceeds to the login page. I tested the key using karabiner event viewer and it detects it correctly.

Any ideas?


Thanks.
 

Fishrrman

macrumors Penryn
Feb 20, 2009
29,248
13,324
Boot to the internal drive.

Connect the alternate (external) boot drive.

Open the "startup disk" preference pane.

Is the alternate boot drive shown?

If it is NOT there, then the Mac probably thinks there's only one boot drive available and bypasses the startup manager...
 

ThePolarCat

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Apr 21, 2023
3
0
Boot to the internal drive.

Connect the alternate (external) boot drive.

Open the "startup disk" preference pane.

Is the alternate boot drive shown?

If it is NOT there, then the Mac probably thinks there's only one boot drive available and bypasses the startup manager...
Actually I have two bootable drives installed, both are visible in the startup disk pane.

I’m also trying to reset the SMC however without the option key it’s not possible.
 

Fishrrman

macrumors Penryn
Feb 20, 2009
29,248
13,324
A totally random thought:
How about if you went to the keyboard pref pane, and temporarily set another key (caps lock might do) to ALSO be "the option key"?

And then held THAT ONE down at booting to try to invoke the Startup Manager?
 

ThePolarCat

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Apr 21, 2023
3
0
A totally random thought:
How about if you went to the keyboard pref pane, and temporarily set another key (caps lock might do) to ALSO be "the option key"?

And then held THAT ONE down at booting to try to invoke the Startup Manager?
I didn’t work. That’s why it’s a weird problem, the key works as expected in the OS.
 
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