Early Startup Control / Boot Menu
Commodore Amiga
Severity: MinorWhat Does This Error Mean?
The Early Startup Control menu appears when you hold both mouse buttons during boot. It lets you disable startup items, change boot device, and enable/disable caches. This is a diagnostic tool, not an error.
Affected Models
- Commodore Amiga 1200
- Commodore Amiga 4000
- Commodore Amiga 3000
- Amiga models with Kickstart 3.0+
Common Causes
- User held both mouse buttons during boot (intentional)
- System configured to always show boot menu
- Some Amiga accelerators show boot menus
How to Fix It
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To skip the menu: just let the Amiga boot normally.
Do not hold the mouse buttons during boot. The menu only appears when both buttons are held.
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To use the menu: select options with the mouse.
Boot With No Startup-Sequence: boots Workbench but skips startup programs. Disable CPU caches: useful for compatibility with old software.
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If the system will not boot normally: try Boot With No Startup-Sequence.
This is like Windows Safe Mode — it loads the OS without running startup programs. Useful if a startup item is causing crashes.
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To change boot device: select the device from the boot priority list.
You can boot from floppy, hard drive, or CD-ROM.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the Early Startup menu like BIOS?
Similar concept. It provides low-level boot options before the operating system loads. But it is simpler than a PC BIOS — just boot device and startup options.
Which Amigas have the Early Startup menu?
Amigas with Kickstart 3.0 or later (A1200, A4000, A3000 with updated ROMs). Older models (A500, A2000 with Kickstart 1.3) do not have this feature.