[jca]

So I'm unfamiliar with PCs, especially with regards to the Mac equivalent keys on the keyboard, etc. A few questions:

How do you restart the Mini 9?
(I've had a few freezes, hanging at boot-ups, etc. What key(s)/buttons will restart the Mini?)

What are the PC key equivalents for the Mac?
(Does the Windows key on the lower left equal the Mac Command key? What about the lower right Menu key?)

What blue Function Fn keys work in Mac OS X?
(Can you use Function keys beyond F10?)

What keys on the Mini 9 keyboard do not work in OS X?
(Can unused keys be mapped in other Applications/Preferences?)

Appreciate any help/info. Also, if these questions are covered in a Mac Mini 9 FAQ somewhere, please let me know.

[NoBugsOnMe]

How do you restart the Mini 9?
In Mac OS X you can restart using: Ctrl + Command + Eject (you can also hold F12 for a second if you don't have an eject key).

Other than that you could only press the power button for a few seconds until the Mini is off.

What are the PC key equivalents for the Mac?
Normally the super key (Windows logo) should be the Command key. On the Mini 9 the layout differs from the Apple keyboard. The Alt and Windows key are swapped. That means the Alt key on the keyboard is the Command key and the Windows key on the keyboard is the Alt key.

The Command key is used to execute most of the shortcuts in Mac OS (Cmd+X = Cut, Cmd+S = Save, etc.). This is very similar to the Ctrl key shortcuts in Windows.

What blue Function Fn keys work in Mac OS X?
Pretty much everything you could ask for:
Fn + 1 = Standby
Fn + 4 = Mute
Fn + 5 = Volume down
Fn + 6 = Volume up
Fn + 9 = Brightness down
Fn + 0 = Brightness up
Fn + up = Page up
Fn + down = Page down
Fn + left = Home
Fn + right = End
All the F keys from F1 to F12 work. F11 = Fn + Z, F12 = Fn + X
F9-F11 = Exposé
F12 = Dashboard / Eject

What keys on the Mini 9 keyboard do not work in OS X?
I don't miss any keys. I wouldn't know how you could map keys to other functions. Maybe some third party tool can do this.

[jca]

Originally Posted by NoBugsOnMe

In Mac OS X you can restart using: Ctrl + Command + Eject (you can also hold F12 for a second if you don't have an eject key).

Hmmm. Maybe my original question(s) aren't clear. I'm asking what are the keys you use on the Mini 9's PC keyboard for Mac functions. The Mini 9 doesn't have Eject or F11-F15 keys like a Mac keyboard, no?

Originally Posted by NoBugsOnMe

Other than that you could only press the power button for a few seconds until the Mini is off.

Is this the only way to restart a Mini 9 (via keyboard)? I assume Ctrl-Alt-Del doesn't work?

Originally Posted by NoBugsOnMe

I don't know about the Menu key. I don't have this on my keyboard.

It's the Menu (with arrow) key to the right of the spacebar on the Mini 9 keyboard.

Originally Posted by NoBugsOnMe

All the F keys from F1 to F12 work. F11 = Fn + Z, F12 = Fn + X
F9-F11 = Exposé
F12 = Dashboard / Eject

The Mini 9 only goes up to (blue Fn + letter) F10, no?

[MiniFan]

Press once, briefly on the power button and the standard shutdown window will open. From here, you can shut down, restart, sleep or cancel.

Little known tip: You can choose any one of these options without removing your fingers from the keyboard by selecting any of the following:

Enter (the default selected button) = Shut down
R = Restart
S = Sleep
Esc = Cancel

[NoBugsOnMe]

Originally Posted by jca

Hmmm. Maybe my original question(s) aren't clear. I'm asking what are the keys you use on the Mini 9's PC keyboard for Mac functions. The Mini 9 doesn't have Eject or F11-F15 keys like a Mac keyboard, no?

That's why I said, you can also use F12 instead of Eject. The more recent versions of the BIOS enable F11 and F12 on the keyboard. They are not shown on the keys, but they do work. F11 = Fn + Z and F12 = Fn + X.

So for Ctrl + Command + F12 you press: Ctrl + Windows + Fn + X.

Originally Posted by jca

Is this the only way to restart a Mini 9 (via keyboard)? I assume Ctrl-Alt-Del doesn't work?

Ctrl+Alt+Del doesn't work in Mac OS X.

Originally Posted by jca

It's the Menu (with arrow) key to the right of the spacebar on the Mini 9 keyboard.

Yes, I know this key, but it still isn't there. I have the German layout and it's not printed on any of the keys. Instead I have Alt Gr.

Originally Posted by jca

The Mini 9 only goes up to (blue Fn + letter) F10, no?

See my text above.

[meklort]

The new (post DellEFI 1.06) keyboard drivers remap the menu key to command.

[kimptoc]

Hi,

Stoopid question, but which is the command button - the windows key is not doing it for me.

What is the 'menu' key?

Using DellEFI 1.1.

Thanks,
Chris

[chazzek]

On the Mini, the alt key on the keyboard is Command and the windows key is Option/Alt. That's because the keys are in that order on a real Mac and it would otherwise be very confusing to switch between the Mini and a Mac keyboard. I popped the keys off the keyboard and switched them. Do it carefully, because it's easy to break the little plastic tabs. I broke one, but the key still sits securely on my keyboard.

The menu key is the one to the right of the spacebar. It's also a Command key.

[rtrt]

hi all,

new to the board - just installed leopard on my new mini tonight thanks to the superb info here - thats the good news.

bad news is that i tried swapping the alt and the windows keys over and have broken the alt key removing it.

Tried to be very careful - but wasn't careful enough :cry:

do i need a new keyboard or is there any way to get a single key from somewhere?

really could do with some advice - won't be popular with the other half - now i messed up the new laptop ops:

am uk based if that helps

[rakmini]

In the UK, head down to PC World, their service dept is sure to have some spare keys.

TIP: Removing keys
Lift the key from the edge closest to you, this where the key clips into the 'scissor' mechanism, the other side just hooks under the mechanism with an 'L' shaped lug and will slide out towards you.

When replacing the key... angle the key with the closest edge higher, so the lugs slide under the farthest scissor arms, then lay key down and push down firmly until the closest edge clips into the scissor arms.

DO NOT go to PC World and swap your key for one on their display models.