I have an iMac rev c running OS8.6
One week ago I was working on the mac and the keyboard started typing strange characters so I tried to set the keys to what they should be in the contol panel of keyboard options. That didnt work, so I rebooted, that is when I could no longer get into the computer past the splash screen. I have taked the whole computer apart and cleaned the keyboard piece by piece, dusted the whole thing inside, removed and put back the cd, hd and all insides. Nothing. Below are all the things I have tried so far.....:
boot using cmd-opt-O-F
type the following at the prompt:
reset-nvram [press return]
reset-all [press return; Mac will reboot]
I have done this but the problem is that I dont have use of the r key on the keyboard for some reason. So I cant no longer reset the nvram or all.
When I had use of the r key I did use the above commands and it did restart but got message that I had outdated something, dont remember what.
I have reset the pram when I did have use of the r key. I have tried typing bye and I get the message: can't OPEN
I have tried restarting with c held down and also cmd-opt-shift-del and still wont start from cd. If I type an f key get nothing
type 4 key get f
type j key get jf
type v get f
type |\ key get Ff
type eject get can't OPEN
type f key before wanting to type j and I can get a j
type eject cd get message: DISK-LABEL; read of block0 failed can't open the eject device
If I use the down arrow to scroll thru commands to get eject CD I get;
method (eject) not found; ihandle=ff9d2c80 phandle=ff83cb90 EJECT method failed
type , get STACK UNDERFLOW
type . get deadbeef ok STACK UNDERFLOW
type boot get can't open
mac-boot it restarts and I can get the splash screen but that is as far as it goes, even with c held down.
I cannot find why the keyboard is working as it is, why I cant get past the splash, and why all this happened.
Any help at all will be much appreciated. I am totally stuck, I know that whatever I do it needs to be in open firmware, that is all I can get right now. Please help me.
Ciao
CIndy

You don't say if you tried booting without the
keyboard hooked up. It could just be a bummed
keyboard. Not sure what else you can try in open
firmware.

I tried that but same thing. The cd just stops spinning once the smile comes up and then it just dies there. I just cant figure out what to do at this point. Thanks for quick response my friend.
Ciao
Cindy

Cindy, I would try a few things to narrow down the
problem.
1) Disconnect all peripherals.
2) Zap the PRAM.
3) Disconnect the internal hard drive and try to
boot from CD alone.
4) Disconnect CD drive and try to boot from hard
drive alone.
5) Remove RAM from top bay (if installed).
6) Remove RAM from bottom bay (if RAM in top
bay installed).
7) Drop mac from high balcony.

Let me know if any of these steps help.
Cheers.

First thing I'd do is see if a known-good keyboard works, or try that keyboard on another Mac to see if it works fine there.

p

Thanks, I have been offline due to this problem so will try some of the stuff above and let you know.
Appreciate it much
cindy