Backup laptop strategy

[serpico]

If I wanted a backup laptop that I could either slap my current T60's drive into, or one on which I could mirror my current laptop's drive, how similar in specs does the backup laptop need to be?

[awolfe63]

I think that any T60 would work. Probably any T61.

It works better (less duplicate drivers that switch back & forth) if you have:

same graphics brand (Intel/ATI/Nvidia)
same wifi brand (intel/ibm)

and obviously no disk encryption or passwords based on the TPM.

[Brad]

Great idea.

One consideration is that some programs may require activation after they have moved to a different computer. I am not sure exactly what may bring on this behavior. Some programs seem more flexiable than others. This problem is not too big a deal anyway mostly just click reativate and you are all set. Some programs may give a limit to how many times this can be done though.

Brad

[serpico]

I think that any T60 would work. Probably any T61.

It works better (less duplicate drivers that switch back & forth) if you have:

same graphics brand (Intel/ATI/Nvidia)
same wifi brand (intel/ibm)

Thanks. Same graphics and wifi brand is sufficient? Not same exact model/chipset? That definitely provides more flexibility.

Great idea.

One consideration is that some programs may require activation after they have moved to a different computer. I am not sure exactly what may bring on this behavior. Some programs seem more flexiable than others. This problem is not too big a deal anyway mostly just click reativate and you are all set. Some programs may give a limit to how many times this can be done though.

I would have guessed that the program doesn't realize it's moved to a new computer. The disk is either swapped from the main laptop or is a perfect mirror of the disk in the main laptop. But it sounds like you may be speaking from experience.

If I needed to start playing around with activation, settings, etc., then I wouldn't bother. I'd get a cheap backup (as cheap as I could go but still be able to run the software I need to run), and install the software at my leisure. All my data is on a separate partition, so I could just copy that over my home lan.

[awolfe63]

The activation issue can be real.

I also keep my data in a separate folder and just sync the folder between the two machines. In case of a failure on the first machine while out of sync - I can put the first machine drive in a USB case or an Ultrabay and copy the documents over. That way, I can use machines that don't have the same equipment.

At one point, though, I did buy 2 identical refurbished t42's so I would have a "hot spare".

[serpico]

The activation issue can be real.

I also keep my data in a separate folder and just sync the folder between the two machines. In case of a failure on the first machine while out of sync - I can put the first machine drive in a USB case or an Ultrabay and copy the documents over. That way, I can use machines that don't have the same equipment.

At one point, though, I did buy 2 identical refurbished t42's so I would have a "hot spare".

Thanks. Since the "hot spare" doesn't seem likely to be as seamless as I had hoped, I'll probably just get a backup machine and sync the data folder. Hey, that means I don't have to get a Thinkpad.

[awolfe63]

Hey, that means I don't have to get a Thinkpad.

We don't buy them because we have to - we buy them out of love....

[serpico]

Hey, that means I don't have to get a Thinkpad.

We don't buy them because we have to - we buy them out of love....

True. But for a backup, a used Dell should be good enough. Of course, if I could buy a used TP for the price of an equivalent used Dell, I'd be all over it.