it is Shift, I've done it before when I had to modify someone else's database. Windows is supposed to do the same thing to the Startup Items if you hold down the Shift key while Starting up Windows.
Also use the "Window" menu and choose "Unhide" and then choose the "Database" window and then go into the Macros and rename the "Autoexec" macro that loads the main form that disables all the other stuff, and then unload and reload the database. This only works if they didn't hide the "Window" menu.
Trust me on this, I had to work on other people's Access databases for a long time. At the law firm we had over 35 people quit or get fired in the IT Department for over four years. Someone had to take over their work.