Is There a Way to Boot Into Windows with No Keyboard?

Uberman5000

So my Apple Keyboard had to be taken to the shop for repairs, and since the rest of my family are stuck in the mid-90s, all the other keyboards in the house are PS/2. I can't even log into my computer, since it's password-protected, but I'm dual-booting Windows 7 on it. It's password-protected as well, but has an on-screen keyboard on the login screen, so at least I can use my computer while it's keyboardless.

This seemed like a great idea, except then I remembered that you have to hold the "Alt" key on startup to log into Windows. D'oh!

Is there another way to do it?

pcronin

I was going to say put the install DVD in and use the utillity in there to select boot partition, then I realized you might have to hold the C key down to boot from DVD.

Best advice, buy or borrow a cheep USB keyboard, or get a PS2 -> USB adapter.

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IllusionX

hmm.. i know that dollar shops here have ps/2 to usb keyboard/mouse adapter :P

from what i remember, it does work on a mac. lol

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Paddy

Do you have anything like Canada Computers nearby? (none in Quebec - I checked) - they have USB keyboards for as little as $6.99, so there has to be some place near you with something similar. Stores that cater to the build-your-own crowd are usually a good bet.

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wonderings

go to system preferences, and choose your startup disk there

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jwootton

I think he isn't logged in at the moment, so can't do anything like that. I'm assuming you have an iMac? mac mini?

Any chance that you can connect to this computer over a network while on the login screen?

I don't know if this is possible or not, do you have another mac?

Uberman5000

My brother has a MacBook Pro, but I don't think it can network to my iMac unless its logged in.

I might try the dollar store to see if there's a PS/2 to USB adapter there.

chas_m

If not, you should be able to find a cheap USB keyboard at any thrift shop for a few bucks.

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i-rui

do you have a bootable cd?

if you have a mac that has easy access to it's hard drives (mac pro, g4 etc..) you could disconnect the internal hard drive and start up from the cd, change the start up disc to the cd, Shutdown and reconnect the hard drive, restart (which should now start up from the start up cd automatically) and then choose the windows partition as the start up volume

PHEW!
an awful lot of work to get 'er done....might as well just buy a new keyboard.

(also, opening up the cd tray without the keyboard may be a problem...but could be solved by jamming a paper clip into the manual eject)

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Macinguelph

What kind of Mac do you have? If you have an iMac or Macbook with a remote, you can hold the menu key on the remote during start up....it acts the same as the alt/option key on the keyboard. Also, as others have said, a usb keyboard can be found very cheaply these days. Not a bad idea to have a spare around anyway, for just such an emergency.

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