Sorry Peter my reply was a bit rushed as I'm just heading out.
After doing the restore from Snow Leopard to Lion, there will be the same 
updating of Mail database, iPhoto library, iTunes etc. The same as when you 
upgraded your computer from Snow Leopard to Lion.
Any non- generic applications would need to be upgraded to Lion versions.

Cheers,
Ronni
Sent from Ronni's iPad

On 14/04/2012, at 7:56 AM, Ronda Brown <[email protected]> wrote:

> Hi Peter,
> 
> As long as the Time Capsule drive doesn't die first; you are good.
> Also I am assuming all the MacBooks are complete system backups (not just 
> Users Home Directory).
> 
> Each computer has its own Sparse disk Image bundle (sparsebundle) on the 
> backup drive.
> So you can restore one without harming any of the others.
> 
> To answer your question:
> 
>> If I were to buy a new one, it would undoubtedly be a Lion OSx, so does this 
>> make in difference in the restoration process?
> No not at all.
> Simply launch Migration Assistant, select your Time Machine backup and select 
> which settings and users to copy. It doesn't care that your backup is a Snow 
> Leopard backup.
> 
> For more information here is an article about how to use Migration Assistant 
> in Snow Leopard. It is virtually the same in Lion.
> 
> <http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?path=Mac/10.6/en/27921.html>
> 
> Cheers,
> Ronni
> 
> Sent from Ronni's iPad
> 
> On 13/04/2012, at 8:53 PM, Peter Crisp <[email protected]> wrote:
> 
>> Hi folks, this is a question for precautionary purposes. We have 3 Macbooks 
>> in my house all using Snow Leopard, Two of them are the Black plastic bodied 
>> Macbook (2.4 GHz core 2 duo) for kids ~2007 vintage I think and the other is 
>> a White plastic one 2.26 GHz (core 2 duo) ~2009 I think. They are all set up 
>> and using Time Machine for constant back ups. 
>> 
>> My question, if one of them were to have a fatal hard disc failure, can I 
>> either get the hard disc replaced, and restore it to its previous 
>> configuration, or buy a new Macbook and then configure the new Macbook to 
>> the same config? If I were to buy a new one, it would undoubtedly be a Lion 
>> OSx, so does this make in difference in the restoration process?
>> 
>> When restored, what settings will need further fine tuning - if any?
>> 
>> Hopefully someone can advise as I want to be sure that I am not living in a 
>> false sense of security thinking that the Time Capsule is my saviour when it 
>> may not be in the event of a failure.
>> 
>> Thanks.
>> 
>> Pete.
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