Can you restore Time Machine to any Intel based Mac?

I have a bet with a friend on this one.
If you have a full Time Machine backup of your Intel based Mac and your Mac breaks down, can you use your Time Machine to restore the full system to any other Intel based Mac? Or is your Time Machine backup specific to the computer model you were using?
Similarly, if you are running your Intel based Mac off of an external drive (like a portable USB drive), can you carry that drive with you and boot any other Intel based Mac off of it, so you can, for example, use the same system at work and at home?
Thanks,
doug

If you have a full Time Machine backup of your Intel based Mac and your Mac breaks down, can you use your Time Machine to restore the full system to any other Intel based Mac? Or is your Time Machine backup specific to the computer model you were using?
The backup is specific to one particular computer, not just a computer of the same model. You can use Migration Assistant on a different computer to get all your user accounts and data onto another computer if that computer already has OSX installed.
Similarly, if you are running your Intel based Mac off of an external drive (like a portable USB drive), can you carry that drive with you and boot any other Intel based Mac off of it, so you can, for example, use the same system at work and at home?
Not always. It won't work on a Mac that shipped with an OSX more recent than that on the USB drive. Also there are some OSX updates that install only on certain hardware, so you my want to run Softwae Update when you move the USB drive to a different Mac.

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