Appendix E. The Master Mace OS X Secret Keystroke List

Here it is, by popular, frustrated demand: The master list of every secret (or not-so-secret) keystroke in Mac OS X Snow Leopard, including all the keys you can press during startup. Clip and post to your monitor (unless, of course, you got this book from the library).

Note

For the most part, the following list doesn’t include the keystrokes already listed in your menus, like ⌘-P for Print, ⌘-S for Save, and so on.

Startup Keystrokes

Keys to Hold Down

Effect

C

Starts up from a CD

D

Starts up from the first partition

N

Starts up from network server

R

Resets the laptop screen

T

Puts the Mac into FireWire Target Disk mode

Option

Shows icons of all startup disks and partitions, so you can choose one for starting up.

Shift-Option-⌘-Delete

Starts up from external drive (or CD)

Option-⌘-P-R

Zaps the parameter RAM (PRAM). (Hold down until you hear the second chime.)

Option-⌘-O-F

Brings up Open Firmware screen (pre-Intel Macs).

⌘-V

Shows Unix console messages during startup, logout, and shutdown

⌘-S

Starts up in single-user (Unix command-line) mode

Mouse down

Ejects a stuck CD or DVD

6 and 4 keys

Starts up in 64-bit mode

Shift

Just after powering up: Turns off kernel extensions

Shift

Just after logging in: Prevents Finder windows and startup items from opening. (They’ll return the next time you start up.)

In the Finder

⌘-space

Highlights Spotlight box

Option-⌘-space

Opens Spotlight window

→, ←

Expands or collapses a selected folder in list view

Option-→

Expands a folder in a list ...

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