Hi! On 2018-04-19, 00:15, Bruce Johnson wrote: > That’s the keyboard thing I was talking about. Kris is right, this keyboard > post-dates the G5’s, I’m pretty sure; in fact it postdates the very first > Intel > iMacs, as that was the machine on which I discovered the ‘no startup keys’ > issue. > > You’ll need to source an older USB keyboard for the times you need to apply > startup keys.
I have the strong impression that Apple went from an almost 100% standard conform keyboard to a 100% Apple-specific in-house develpment. At the beginning of the Millennium (from around 2000 to around 2006) the Apple keyboards were manufactured by Mitsumi, and they were _real_ PC keyboards with different names on the keys. With the one exception of the Eject key, which was Apple-specific. After that they changed everything (2007 came the new Apple Keyboard, A1243). I assume that Power Macs don't understand the newer keyboards correctly and that Apple didn't test Open Firmware compatibility. They only tested Mac OS X compatibility and since it worked there, they didn't bother any further compatibility improvement. Like Bruce and others already mentioned, my advice is also to either get an older Apple keyboard, OR—and this might come as a surprise—to get a standard PC USB keyboard instead. It should work 100%, with the only exception that the key names will be switched (and the lack of an eject key). In other words: Ctrl, Alt, Win i.e. Ctrl, Opt, Command (Apple-key) will be switched. If you look at the Wikipedia article "Apple Keyboard" and at the picture of the Apple Pro Keyboard (M7803), you'll see that the sequence in the lower left corner is 1. Ctrl, 2. Alt, 3. Apple/Command. Now look at a standard PC/Windows keyboard and notice that there is another sequence: 1. Ctrl, 2. Win, 3. Alt. If my memory is correct, then the keys are exactly the same, only the label on the keys are changed. Therefore the Open Firmware and Mac OS X will act on the second key, which is the Windows-key on a PC keyboard, as if the Alt/Option key was pressed. And also for the third key, the Apple/Command key, it will be the Alt key on a PC keyboard. I used a PC keyboard on a Power Mac (G3, G4, G5) several times and it worked like this, including the startup selection. All I had to do was to hold the Windows key instead of the Option/Alt key... Thinking of it, that's the only sick part: start a Mac and hold the Windows key :-) For completeness: those two Apple keyboards were designed for Power Macs: 1. Apple Pro Keyboard (M7803), from 2000 2. Apple Keyboard (A1048), from 2003 All other keyboards are either too old or too new for Power Macs. For my purposes those two PC keyboards did the job: * Dell USB keyboard KB212 * Logitech USB keyboard K120 but any other stardard USB keyboard will work as well. When using a PC keyboard on a Power Mac, just remember: * Win (Windows Logo) = Option/Alt * Alt = Command/"Apple key" (Apple logo) * look at the original Apple keyboard labels for all other keys. E.g. on the german keyboard @ is on AltGr+L on an Apple keyboard, but on AltGr+Q on a Windows keyboard. However, even when using the PC/Windows keyboard, on a Mac it will always be AltGr+L... * No eject key (some key combinations are affected) Since the eject key is missing, shutdown by holding keys Ctrt+Alt+Cmd+Eject won't work. I am unsure, but maybe this was also possible with Ctrl+Alt+Cmd+F12... I hope to have helped with this information, Mac User #330250 -- -- You received this message because you are a member of G-Group, a group for those using G3, G4, and G5 desktop Macs - with a particular focus on Power Macs. The list FAQ is at http://lowendmac.com/lists/g-list.shtml and our netiquette guide is at http://www.lowendmac.com/lists/netiquette.shtml To post to this group, send email to [email protected] For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/g3-5-list --- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "G-Group" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to [email protected]. For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/d/optout.
