Anyone else see this : Option Key wont bring up other volumes on reboot
I have to use system preferences to reboot to another disk. Is it Catalina or having the new wireless apple magic keyboard?

It certainly could be the wireless keyboard. Can you try it with a wired keyboard?

I made this comment before and I'll say it again: based on many of your other postings, too many things that are normal with Catalina are "funky" with your installation. How about a clean, fresh re-installation of Catalina?

Am I correctly remembering that you can't enter pre-boot keyboard commands with a wireless keyboard because Bluetooth isn't functional until after the machine has booted?

Ira, actually these things are being solved one by one, nothing wrong with version installed.

But that said, one top Apple developer sent me this: "Catalina is weird and synthesizes a lot of folders from other folders, combining things from different locations.

NO artie have no idea what talking about.. but will do test with corded keyboard later today on this issue.

I think wireless keyboards work with Bluetooth, but Bluetooth IS NOT FUNCTIONAL until after your Mac boots, so you can't use the keyboard before then.

I think you can only enter commands for option boot, safe boot, recovery boot, etc. with a wired keyboard.

If that's true Artie, Apple has not done customers any favors by selling Bluetooth keyboards.

Bluetooth initializes very early in the Catalina boot sequence, I believe it is during the preboot, and you can do things such as booting from the recovery drive, safe boot, , etc. using an Apple wireless keyboard wirelessly. I haven't tested that with third party bluetooth keyboards so I cannot certify it would work with another manufacturer's product. If, for any reason, that does not work simply plug in the charging cord, and the Magic Keyboard magically becomes a wired keyboard.

Next time try a cold boot. (Power down completely, then boot and hold down the Option key or whatever. (I hate to admit how long it took me to figure out. 🧐 ) If that doesn't work, try connecting your keyboard using the charging cable. Either way works with my Magic keyboard.

Thanks for that tip! It may be obvious, but I never thought of it.

Joe/ others, thanks. Joe tested, cold shutdown worked! No need for cord.

I'm sure it goes back quite a few years, but I've got a very clear recollection that the answer to questions such as this one was that Bluetooth didn't kick in until late in the boot process and that a wired keyboard was necessary for boot commands.

Am I misremembering, or has the sequence of boot events changed for the better?

I'm not sure when the change was made, but I know bluetooth kicks in very early now. As I said, I believe it is during the Pre-boot cycle in Catalina, but it has required a "cold boot" for some time now. Apple's instructions are equivocal on the matter so I am guessing it may be different with different MacOS versions.

One thing I have learned with Catalina is to always test my assumptions. Just because something worked in earlier versions of MacOS does not mean it works the same way in Catalina. For example, yesterday I heard Catalina dynamically creates hundreds, perhaps thousands, of new folders and creates its own virtual organization at boot time. I haven't verified this but it was from an authoritative developer source.

That echos what kevs said in his post #55127 in this thread.

What is that vitamin that is supposed to help our memory? I forgot the name, but I may need to take it. 🤪

At my age, my train of thought leaves the station without me.

I believe it's B12. I haven't had time to double-check because I've been busy looking for the train Jon mentioned.