

Ask HN: finding a laptop in 2011 with the whole set of ports? - guylhem

Today while giving a hand to an friend who wants to regain access to some of his old data, I realized that I depended on various cables and peripherals to try to rescue his devices, that I could run into a similar problems because I no longer had a "rescue laptop"<p>Years ago, I had a rescue machine, which stayed idle most of the time, but could become quite needed.<p>It's the kind of machine that :
- runs an old linux distro to make xp/linux hd bootable again with grub/lilo/whatever
- is used to grab network data with tcpdump from some equipment in the next room
- tests if IR remote controllers actually work, 
- serves as the last resort to try to read the  floppy disk where the unique copy of some historical file has been stored 
 - connects to the printer in parallel mode to put the printer online when the jetdirect is down for some reason
 - can be used to run diagnosis on serial ports
 - still has a modem so it can serve to replicate the problem a guy still on dialup is reporting.<p>You see the kind of machine - a lot of ports, most of which are no longer used (floppy, firewire...) but come in handy when you need them.<p>My googling did not return such a machine, so I guess I'll have to get a second hand.<p>So can anyone recommend me a laptop or a tablet with : firewire/rj45 (ideally 2x) /rj11/serial/irda/parallel/floppy/dvd/vga/tvout/wifi/bluetooth<p>Tablet a plus (because it will be easy to store/carry when needed)<p>It's just a laptop to be put in a drawer until a specific problem happens where it will be needed (3rd call this week, the 2 others were a firmware upgrade on my modem and sniffing ethernet data to find out the correct tos values)
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dangrossman
How many of those can you find as X-to-USB adapters or USB peripherals?
Probably all of them, which would mean any laptop will do, you'll just have a
bag of addons to keep with it.

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JanezStupar
The problem of newer machines and/or peripherals is that they often work in
some wacky almost as good as original thing modes, which are "compatible" for
most consumer type regular uses - without actual backwards compatibility.

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guylhem
Hence the question. I have already far too many cables. An old laptop with
everything integrated would reduce the odds of loosing the connectors.

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guylhem
Replying to myself - found on forums many suggestions for a thinkpad T30 to
this same question

It will just miss the firewire but nothing a pccard that'll stay inside (and
not be lost!) can't fix

