Screen with text comes up when booting up (similar to a DOS screen)

[LABachlr]

My friend's G5 QuickSilver desktop, when it boots up, goes to a light blue/gray screen with text, and asks you to type in "mac-bootup" or "shut-down", or something like those terms. It does not boot up normally.

What's the deal and how can we change it back so that it boots up normally?

The computer is at his work, so there's not a situation where it would need to be set up that way, would there be?

[Flying Meat]

The machine is booting into open firmware.
It had to have been intentionally set up to do this (unless by some weird chance the machine's keyboard is sending the command-option-o-f key combo during the boot process. unlikely).

Try zapping the pram.
Start the machine and immediately hold down command-option-p-r keys
Keep holding those keys down until you hear 3 startup chimes, then release the keys.

[LABachlr]

Originally Posted by Flying Meat

The machine is booting into open firmware.
It had to have been intentionally set up to do this (unless by some weird chance the machine's keyboard is sending the command-option-o-f key combo during the boot process. unlikely).

Could it also mean that they tried to update the firmware and did not finish the process?

So, the process of "zapping the pram" is what you suggested?

Start the machine and immediately hold down command-option-p-r keys. Keep holding those keys down until you hear 3 startup chimes, then release the keys.

[Flying Meat]

Yes. Zapping the pram is what I suggested.
I haven't seen a machine boot into open firmware when a firmware update was interrupted. Doesn't mean it won't, just that I haven't seen it do that.

There was no indication in your initial post of this thread that firmware update was interrupted. If it was interrupted then perhaps...

But this is a place to start, having not received that particular info.

If zapping fails to resolve the issue, then check this page:
http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=42642

<sarcasm engine engaged>
that page was the result of a strenuous google search for "mac boots to open firmware". it was quite the slog through the first two links returned to arrive at the third link referenced above.
</sarcasm>

[LABachlr]

Cool. Thanks a lot.

[Flying Meat]

P.S.
As clarification, the QuickSilver model was G4. I'm pretty sure that there never was a G5 QuickSilver.

If your friend is under the impression that there was, download MacTracker from http://www.macupdate.com and check out the "Power Mac G3/G4/G5" section