Mac OS X Tiger in a Snap
141. Boot from Different Disks Using Keystrokes
140 Select the Boot Volume at Boot Time
142 Change the Startup Disk 22 Partition a Hard Disk
By holding down certain special key combinations at boot time, you can force the Mac to boot from specific devices. These special key combinations can also cause a number of other interesting effects to happen. These key combinations are poorly documented and the subject of folklore, but some are more well-known than others. Memorize the ones you're likely to need, considering your hardware configuration and your work patterns.
Like the boot volume picker screen described in 140 Select the Boot Volume at Boot Time , these key combinations cause a one-time behavior change only. The next time you boot your computer, it boots in the standard manner from the default volume.
http://davespicks.com/writing/programming/mackeys.html Dave Polaschek compiles a comprehensive list of lots more keyboard shortcuts for use at boot time and later.
141. Boot from Different Disks Using Keystrokes |