No keyboard on startup?

[rmc]

hello
I recently purchased a Mac Mini Core duo 1.83ghz to use as mediaplayer in my living room.
I noticed that i wasn't able to use any keys during startup, trying to reset the PRAM. Later on, when i replaced the standard 80gb harddrive with a bigger one and trying to use the "C" during startup, i found out t that i can't use any key during startup. I learned that a firmware-password blocks all keys during startup, except alt-option-f-o to enter the open firmware, but i can't even enter the open firmware during startup. The mini simply doesn't respond to any key i try to use on startup. Once booted, the keyboard and mouse work both fine in Snow leopard.
What can be wrong with my mini?

 

[burne]

hello
What can be wrong with my mini?

Nothing. A firmware-password is to protect the machine from unauthorized changes to its configuration, and that it does, as you've found out.

Assuming you have an administrator-account, you can modify or remove the password after booting the machine.

Open a terminal, and type:

sudo nvram -p

That prints a list of variables stored in nvram, and should include a line with

security-password %70%61%73%73%77%6f%72%64

With an ASCII-table you can decode my (and your) password, by the way.

Removing the password:

sudo nvram -d security-mode
sudo nvram -d security-password

When rebooting you should be able to influence the boot-process or access openfirmware.

 

[Macman45]

If you are using a BT keyboard which is not connected by cable or dongle to the mac, you can press as many keys as you like...It won't work. Only the cabled variety will work on boot up.