Time Machine Q: Can you use it to keep your imac & macbook pro exactly the same?

[Hatchet]

I've been wondering for a while now if I can use time machine to essentially clone my imac to my macbook pro so that both systems are the same on all occasions. Is this possible?

I am looking into getting a macbook pro so i can go portable with my work information that is currently on my imac. I currently have an external harddrive set up with time machine for my imac.

 

[itickings]

No, not possible with Time Machine (for any reasonable definition of possible at least).

As for the syncing in general, are you really interested in syncing everything, or would say contacts, email and documents do?
Will you be actively using both computers at the same time on any occasion?
Are you prepared to shell out money for software, or are only free solutions of use?
With "on all occasions", do you mean that the syncing must occur immediately after something's changed, or is periodically OK?

 

[Hatchet]

No, not possible with Time Machine (for any reasonable definition of possible at least).

As for the syncing in general, are you really interested in syncing everything, or would say contacts, email and documents do?
Will you be actively using both computers at the same time on any occasion?
Are you prepared to shell out money for software, or are only free solutions of use?
With "on all occasions", do you mean that the syncing must occur immediately after something's changed, or is periodically OK?

Well, the main reason I ask is because when I bought my iMac, I noticed before I went through the first boot, I could use it to load up files, etc from my previous mac with time machine, right?

I think the biggest thing for me is not to sync it always, but just be able to load up all the files/programs immediately when I get my MBP so I can be on the same page as my iMac. After that, I will be able to regulate what changes/needs to be switched but it's initially the first big clone I guess.

This is so that I don't have to reinstall all the photoshop brushes, fonts, settings, etc that I currently have on my iMac.

 

[itickings]

An initial first big clone/migration might be doable, it is keeping in sync after that point that is hard.

Some programs with aggressive copy protection may require reactivation or even reinstallation though. Depends on the program.