If the Power Key on an ADB keyboard is pressed and held down for more than approximately 1 second during startup of the Macintosh, the programmers window will appear the first time the Command key is pressed.
Macintosh Computers That Utilize The CUDA ADB Chip
This problem MAY occur on any Macintosh system that utilizes the CUDA ADB processor, including the following computers:
Macintosh Color Classic
Macintosh LC 520
Macintosh LC 55X
Macintosh LC 57X
Macintosh LC 58X
Macintosh Quadra 630
Macintosh Quadra 840AV
Macintosh Quadra 660AV
Power Macintosh 6100
Power Macintosh 7100
Power Macintosh 8100
Power Macintosh 5200/75 LC
Note: The symptom is unlikely with the Macintosh Quadra 660AV or the Power Macintosh 6100 since they do not have soft power and cannot utilize the Power Key to startup.
The CUDA ADB processor contains an address register that includes information about the state of the Power Key. If the Power Key is held too long at startup, its status is locked as "on". Therefore the computer believes that the Power Key is down and the first time the Command key is pressed it opens the Programmer's Window. This condition can also occur after startup if a control panel or application initiates an ABD REINIT command and then the Power Key is pressed.
Solution
The solution to this problem is to tap (and quickly release) the Power Key at startup. Do not press and hold down the Power Key during startup.
Workaround
You do not have to restart if the Programmer's window does appear. Follow these steps to get out of the Programmer's window:
1. Type in the letter g.
2. Press the RETURN key. The computer will resume normal operation (in other words, you will be back in the Finder).