Reboot Mac OS X when Windows is crashed

What's cool with a Mac, besides having a beautiful and powerful computer, is that you can run Windows on it (well, I haven't used Windows for a while, so to me it's not a very cool feature).

This is nice for people switching from Windows to Mac OS X, they are still able to run Windows when they need to.

But nasty things may occur. For example Windows crashing before it has completely booted, or you haven't validated your Windows license. So, your shiny Mac is booting Windows, crashing, booting Windows, crashing over and over again.

In opposition to Linux, Mac OS X does not ask you which operating system you want to start on at boot time. When you are on Mac OS X or on Windows, there is a menu to reboot on the other operating system.

In the case you can't reach the menu, there is an other solution than formatting the hard drive and re-installing the system.

The solution is to keep the following keys pressed when the Mac is booting: command+alt+r+p.

This command tells the computer to start on the first partition, the one holding Mac OS X.

Comments Add one by sending me an email.

  • From Guillaume ·
    Pressing alt on boot is not effective?
  • From Laurent ·

    Didn't try, but yes, holding alt is the normal way of selecting boot partition (I should read the manuals some times). I had the problem a long time ago (this article is not really "fresh" ;-)), and at that time I only found command+alt+r+p.

    You are right, holding alt must be enough. If does not work, use command+alt+r+p.