Help With the MacBook Startup
When you normally turn on your MacBook, the distinctive Mac OS tone plays with the Apple logo as the computer boots your desktop. There are several other options available during this startup screen, however, if you enter different combinations of keystrokes. Most of the options allow you to bypass the normal login process and launch the operating system with different settings.
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Bootable Discs
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Hold the "C" key during the startup window to boot your computer from a disc, like the Mac OS X install disc. The computer will launch the install disc's primary menu, which includes such options as formatting your hard drive and a Time Machine system restore from an external volume. Additionally, you will also have the option to start the computer as it normally would.
Startup Manager
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Hold the "Option" key during the startup screen's tone to open the Startup Manager. All of the available startup volumes will appear on your screen, including your default Mac operating system and any Windows or Linux operating platforms you may have installed. You can move your cursor to select one of these options and start your computer. If you hold the "N" key as well, you can also display any available NetBoot disks.
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Verbose Mode
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Access Verbose Mode during startup by holding "Command" and "V" at the tone. Verbose Mode doesn't actually alter the startup process, but it displays the console processes as the system launches, which can be useful if you want to monitor your computer's performance.
Target Disk Mode
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Press the "T" key during the system startup to use your computer in Target Disk Mode. This method allows you to temporarily convert your computer into an external hard drive for a host computer via a Firewire connection. This method allows you to retrieve files from your hard drive without needing to physically activate the Mac OS X operating system.
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References
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