Three-finger salute

Three-finger salute

In computing, the three-finger salute is a jocular term for the keyboard combination that forces a soft boot, brings up the process manager (on Windows or Mac OS X) or a jump to ROM monitor. These keys are sometimes referred to in computer manuals as interrupt keys, since they are often used to interrupt the operation of a malfunctioning program. The "three-finger salute" is named after the one-finger salute, a euphemistic name for a rude hand gesture. Other humorous synonyms include the "Vulcan nerve pinch" or "Vulcan death grip" from the original Star Trek TV series.

Platform Key combo Function

Acorn Machines (pre-1987) Break Soft reset the machine (hold down Ctrl as well for hard reset, hold down SHIFT to boot from disk)

Acorn Machines (post-1987) Reset key Soft reset the machine (hold down Ctrl as well for hard reset, hold down SHIFT to boot from disk. On some later systems, the SHIFT key would have an opposite effect.)

Amiga Ctrl + Left Amiga (or Commodore) + Right Amiga Reboot the machine

IBM PC under DOS and Windows (pre-95) Ctrl + Alt + Del Reboot the machine

IBM PC under Windows (post-95 and NT) Ctrl + Alt + Del, Ctrl + Shift + Esc Bring up login screen at login (or enter task manager post-NT 4)

IBM PC under other OS Ctrl + Alt + Del Often (but not always) configured to reboot

Sun workstation L1/Stop + A Enter ROM monitor

Sun workstation (serial console) Break Enter ROM monitor

Apple II family machines Ctrl + Reset Enter the monitor or ROM BASIC

Ctrl + Cmd + Reset Reboot the machine

Ctrl + Option + Reset Enter BIOS setup, then reboot

Ctrl + Option + Apple + Reset Self-test, then reboot

Some Apple Macintosh computers Cmd + Power Enter monitor

Control + Cmd + Power Reboot the machine

Mac OS (7 and later) Command + Option + Esc Force quit applications

SGI workstation Left Shift + Left Ctrl + Left Alt + Keypad Divide + F12
Commodore 64/128 Run/Stop + Restore Halt (soft reconfiguration) and return to READY prompt

X Window System Ctrl + Alt + Backspace Restarts windowing system, logging the user out if using XDM or similar, kills X otherwise

TI-89 2nd + Left Arrow + Right Arrow + On Restarts the calculator and resets all settings to defaults

Platform	Key combo	Function
Acorn Machines (pre-1987)	Break	Soft reset the machine (hold down Ctrl as well for hard reset, hold down SHIFT to boot from disk)
Acorn Machines (post-1987)	Reset key	Soft reset the machine (hold down Ctrl as well for hard reset, hold down SHIFT to boot from disk. On some later systems, the SHIFT key would have an opposite effect.)
Amiga	Ctrl + Left Amiga (or Commodore) + Right Amiga	Reboot the machine
IBM PC under DOS and Windows (pre-95)	Ctrl + Alt + Del	Reboot the machine
IBM PC under Windows (post-95 and NT)	Ctrl + Alt + Del, Ctrl + Shift + Esc	Bring up login screen at login (or enter task manager post-NT 4)
IBM PC under other OS	Ctrl + Alt + Del	Often (but not always) configured to reboot
Sun workstation	L1/Stop + A	Enter ROM monitor
Sun workstation (serial console)	Break	Enter ROM monitor
Apple II family machines	Ctrl + Reset	Enter the monitor or ROM BASIC
	Ctrl + Cmd + Reset	Reboot the machine
	Ctrl + Option + Reset	Enter BIOS setup, then reboot
	Ctrl + Option + Apple + Reset	Self-test, then reboot
Some Apple Macintosh computers	Cmd + Power	Enter monitor
Some Apple Macintosh computers	Control + Cmd + Power	Reboot the machine
Mac OS (7 and later)	Command + Option + Esc	Force quit applications
SGI workstation	Left Shift + Left Ctrl + Left Alt + Keypad Divide + F12
Commodore 64/128	Run/Stop + Restore	Halt (soft reconfiguration) and return to READY prompt
X Window System	Ctrl + Alt + Backspace	Restarts windowing system, logging the user out if using XDM or similar, kills X otherwise
TI-89	2nd + Left Arrow + Right Arrow + On	Restarts the calculator and resets all settings to defaults

See also