Help! Can't log in but need to reset SMC

[inscrewtable]

I've tried unplugging the mac mini waiting 15 seconds then pressing the start button hoping it would search for a wireless keyboard to pair with it but that didn't work.

The wireless k'board I've been using got unpaired so I can't log in. grrrr.

Any ideas? other than getting hold of a wired keyboard which I can't do atm anyway.

thx

 

[opeter]

Nope. If the wireless keyboard wont connect, you need a wire one (it can be a normal USB PC keyboard too) ...

 

[SoggyCheese]

You might have the "Check for input devices at startup" option set. If so, unplug everything from the Mac except screen and power, then shut it down. Power down the keyboard by holding he button on the side for a few seconds.

Then start the Mac at the same time as powering the keyboard on. If that setting it enabled the Mac will realise it doesn't have a keyboard and ask you to pair one.

 

[inscrewtable]

thanks for the reply, I had just about given up but then the gf noticed that the guest user was visible (it's her computer) which I didn't notice, while I was faffing around looking for a usb male to male cable to attempt to connect it to the iMac and boot into the Mini she got into the Guest account which doesn't need a password and was able to activate the bluetooth there, which was a surprise as I thought the Guest user would not have been able to do stuff like that, but there you go.

@SoggyCheese I'm pretty sure I tried that when I attempted the SMC reset but it did not work.