Computer <> Screwdriver

Some folks make a holy grail out of knowing the innermost secret workings of their computers. Me? A computer and a screwdriver are about the same thing. They are useful tools, but I'll be damned if I know the chemical composition of the plastic used in the handle or the Rockwell hardness of the blade. I use it to tighten and loosen screws and that's all I care about it.

Now I've got a big screwdriver that is chained to my bench and a little screwdriver that I use when out in the field or on a trip. I want that little screwdriver to work just exactly like the big screwdriver at home, but when I get back home I want the little screwdriver to update the big screwdriver with all the stuff I did on the road.

Bottom line is that I want the laptop to be an absolutely identical clone of the desktop when I leave on a trip, right down to the last email messages I got before I left, and then update the desktop with the lappy stuff I did on the trip. Seems simple. Ain't

Was once upon a time a program called "ghost" that came with all of Steve Gibson's software (Spinrite etc.) but it has been reported not to work well with Win 7. Both machines have identical OS, Win 7 Pro.

Suggestions appreciated.

Thanks,

Jim

Reply to
RST Engineering
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there's some kind of sync function for files and folders build into windows

ghost and the likes are not useful for what you want, they are meant to basically take a carbon copy of the hdd, it pretty much requires that you have two identical computers

use the laptop as you main computer instead the desktop as backup, maybe get a docking station much easier

-Lasse

Reply to
langwadt

The computer is analogous to a wheel IMO. We are in the early stages of development.

Try Macrium Reflect. copies are very quick from within Windows. Using the free version, restores take a while from the boot CD.

Good luck and have fun.

Reply to
John Doe

Just do it by hand; it'll be simpler.

Just before the trip, make sure your laptop is up-to-date (an exact image of what's on the big one), and whenever you do something on the laptop on the road, put a note in your trip log.

When you get home, just copy all the new shtuff to your big box.

Hope This Helps! Rich

Reply to
Rich Grise

Just boot a live CD of Knoppix or any of a hundred other Linux Live distro offerings. Hell, there's even e disc set-up live CD.

Real easy to copy the volume to ANYWHERE from ANYWHERE when you have it booted to a CD. No need to be pulling drives all the time. Sheesh.

Sometimes, some of you guys severely (grotesquely) overcomplicate the easiest tasks.

Reply to
The_Giant_Rat_of_Sumatra

On a sunny day (Tue, 19 Apr 2011 13:53:38 -0700) it happened RST Engineering wrote in :

I dunno, but I sometimes, when I have a _fast_enough_ net connection, simply use ssh -Y snipped-for-privacy@mypc.com in Linux, and do everything on the main server, and that way also have every facility of the main server. In the house via the LAN almost always. Do not even have to give the password, the RSA key for the laptop is known to the main PC, and vice versa. The connection has to be fast enough for any GUI stuff, but if you do not need GUI you can use ssh without the -Y. Sometimes I have several ssh connections to several PCs. When all the way to the US it gets a bit sluggish if you type characters...:-) Nevertheless this may well be the future as networks get faster and faster, but of course latency will stay. Laptop as [GUI] terminal. I guess this may be unknown territory to MS wind users...

PS 'an absolutely identical clone' is VERY dangerous, you mess it up on the laptop, you mess it up everywhere. The word is backups. Like you break your screwdriver in the field, that also breaks your one at home, now you have nothing. In your terms speaking.

Reply to
Jan Panteltje

It's 2011. I think you want to do your storage and E-mail "in the cloud".

Really this isn't any different than the 1970's when the storage was done "on the mainframe" (except then we dialed in). The thought that your files or E-mail should be tied to one particular piece of hardware is something that came about with PC's and Windows and thankfully that thought has passed.

If you're working in high-security environments, the cloud won't work, but they aren't gonna let you carry your laptop or cellphone in either... that's a different story.

And, BTW, on the subject of screwdriver analogies... I've been spoiled with good Snap-On screwdrivers for a little while now. Most of the consumer stuff just feels like crap in comparison. And BTW I never did like the Xcelite stuff.

Tim.

Reply to
Tim Shoppa

Secondcopy from centered.com

To do the email you have to sync those data folders with both programs closed of course.

Ghost is a completely different animal, and it never came with Spinrite.

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Reply to
Tom Del Rosso

In the cloud is fine if you have a fast connection. Out here in the boonies where they have to pipe in sunshine, the satellite connection is s-l-o-w to the point where it would be literally days to put up a

500 GB hard drive.

The first tool I ever bought in my life (1957) when I started working at the TV shop for 35c an hour was a red-handle 1/4" Xcelite spintite nut driver. Still in the toolbox.

Jim

Reply to
RST Engineering

Exactly right, difference is like loosely coupling or mirror drives, I go for loosely coupled backup, or the aged backups that one can do with rsync and hardlinks, but 'doze users keep looking for some perfect application, instead of using a decent OS in the first place.

Reply to
Grant

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