replicating to a stopped server

Hello,

        I have a 'strange' situation:

        I need to make a replica copy of my database to a reduntant
        spare
        computer.

        The reduntant computer is not running postgres, but postgres is
        installed. The redundant computer is running in a special
        run-level (I'm
        talking Linux here) in which Pg is _not_ running.

        When the primary computer crashes the redundant one will be
        rebooted in
        'normal' mode and Postgres must be started with the databases
        from the
        replica.

        a) So... how do I replicate a database to a stopped postgres ?

        b) Is it safe just to copy the /var/lib/pg/* directories to the
        right
        place and let Pg boot on that ?

        c) I know the right tool for this should be 'pg_dump' but it
        needs a
        live postgres daemon running, in order to install the replica.
        Is this
        correct ?

        d) Is it viable to start postgres directlly from the dump ? by
        specifying the dump-file in the cmd line ?


        thx a lot
        joao