How to boot from USB when option key is broken?

[Mavec]

I have a 2011 MBA and am trying to boot into a bootable USB drive, running Mountain Lion. The problem is that the computer was dropped a long time ago and most keys do not work, including the Option key. I plugged in an external keyboard and which has an ALT key to substitute for Option and in Mac OS works as a replacement for Option with no issue. However, while holding down the ALT key on the external keyboard to boot up as I would with Option if the keyboard were not broken, it does not seem to have an effect and goes right into Mac OS.

I am wondering if there is a way to choose the USB port as the default to boot into or another way I can boot into the USB port? Thanks...

 

[keysofanxiety]

On startup, try hold Windows key + R on the external keyboard instead; does that boot into OS X Utilities? If you're using an Apple keyboard, hold CMD + R. If this does nothing, try to hold CMD+ALT+R / WIN key+ALT+R on startup for Internet Recovery.

Any luck?

 

[Bruno09]

I am wondering if there is a way to choose the USB port as the default to boot into

C key on startup.

https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT201255

 

[niteflyr]

System Prefs > Startup Disk

 

[ritmomundo]

This is going to seem like a stupid suggestion, but a lot of people don't realize there are two Option keys... You tried both?