Backing up whole computer
I know, I know....I should have been doing this all along but never have partly due to fear and this question... So when I back up the total computer to CDs (I don't have an extra modem & am not ge...
Forum Discussion
drsteve wrote:1492 wrote:
It mentions nothing about recent accelerated testing of modern consumer optical recordables? Which shown to last 10, 20, 40+ years based on type of recordable and brand, and proper storage.
Do you have a link to that testing? It sounds interesting. But, will there be any functioning optical drives around in 10 or 20 years? There's already speculation on how long before, not if, optical storage becomes obsolete.
I have direct experience with writeable discs failing after several years of storage--in cases, upright, in a drawer. I'm just saying, IMHO, home-burned discs are not a reliable long term option for archiving important stuff.
You should be able to find testing data from the National Institute of Standards and Technology(NIST) and the Optical Storage Technology Association(OSTA). From NIST/Library of Congress Optical Disc Longevity Study: Final Report:
I don't doubt that some manufactured CD/DVD recordables are of sub standard quality, and can be an unreliable storage medium. Even tests have shown lifespans of less than 2 years using some questionable manufactured brands. One needs to do some research on the particular recordable to find out who and where it was actually manufactured. I would not rely on the retail brand name on the disc, as these can be made from different manufacturers. I'd go by the embedded manufacturer codes on the disc.
Contributing to reduced lifespans is that users likely don't store and handle discs in a recommended fashion. See Guide for Care and Handling.
Even if true, I'm not sure that the argument not to use optical recordables today as they will be obsolete in 10-20 years is really that relevant for a typical user? Technology is ever changing, and I don't doubt that a better and more reliable storage medium will be developed. Which may necessitate upgrading backups to that technology. But whatever alternative is used today, it will likely become outdated at some point anyway?
