Storage: Do burned CDs and DVDs have a shelf life?
- 2/13/09 2:55 PM
Burned CD and DVD Discs
by Hforman - 1/31/09 11:15 PM In reply to: Do burned CDs and DVDs have a shelf life? by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
Unfortunately, what you heard is true! While most software that you buy in a store is on a CD/DVD that has the "bumps" and holes burned into the metal, the laser in your CD or DVD burner does not have the power to burn holes in metal. Instead, blank CD's that you buy that you will "burn" yourself have a coating that reacts to laser light and produces a series of dark and light spots just in that coating. Think of the process more as laserlight-sensitive ink.
An article I read a few years ago gave the "shelf-life" of a home burned CD or DVD a five (5) year lifespan. Now the question is, is this a conservative estimate? Maybe. To be on the safe side, I would first consider the lifespan that you need. Will the information on the CD/DVD be obsolete in less than five years? If so, I would not worry about this. If you are archiving information for a longer period of time, I would suggest dating your CD/DVD collection and use CD software to copy the disc somewhere in the 4-5 year range to another disc.
Another thing to consider is this. How long will it be before technology comes up with something new to replace the CD and DVD? It might be that CD technology could go the way of the audio cassette soon and DVD would continue on. Care should always be given to whatever media you store information on, even using paper printout as a medium, to balance what the required lifespan is with what the actual media lifespan is. For critical information, I would also consider making several copies to start with as accidents can always happen and a "backup" of the data is a good idea. (I've gotten CDs mismounted in the drawer and it closed on the disc scratching it.
So, to answer your question, the life of the recordable CD/DVD last I heard was 5 years. The key is to not rely on just one copy of the media and, if you can't afford a device that has long-term retention, such as magneto-optical (100 years?), I would periodically make further copies in the future, say, every 2-4 years.
Here is my advice! oh and answer is yes they do degrade
by AnthonyNYC - 1/31/09 11:31 PM In reply to: Do burned CDs and DVDs have a shelf life? by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
Hi Michael, your concerns are justified, not paranoia.
A few have written here saying how Gold backed dvd's are better than the silver etc... Well of course, it is commen sense, think about it.
Remember grandma's old silverware that was actually silver?
Remember how it needed constant polishing or it would turn dark, that oxidation occurs to all metals. Brass, bronze, but Gold is affected less, so it would make a better material for the reflective backing because if the backing loses its shine, then it can no longer reflect the material stored on the actual dye itself.
However my advice to you, and this is what I have done and am in the process of doing to my old 20+ year VHS tapes (which thankfully still have my precious family memories on them still!)is to back them up to flash memory.
Think about it, a 4gb flash SD memory chip, the size of a postage stamp can be had for under $10 now and prices are dropping every day.
So I advise to have 3 backups.
One on the original medium, whether it is magnetic tape, DV tape, or audio tape etc..or a cd or dvd disc.
Then make a backup on a quality brand of DVD, (4.7gb)
Then also make another backup on an SD flash chip (4gb or 8gb)or more.
If it isn't worth the extra $10 to store it on an adition SD flash chip for a 3rd backup, then obviously it isn't valuable data and something you could afford to lose.
If you want a 4th backup, then also copy it to a huge hard drive, but the reason i recommend flash before a HD is, 4gb flash chips can be stored easily, filed in a book or card storage case individually, as opposed to everything on one large hard drive which can easily go bad.
And they charge about $1495 now to retrieve your data for you from a bad HD, so no matter how valuable my family memories are, paying $1500 to get them back is NOT something I want to have to do. I'd rather pay a few bucks up front now to store on flash discs, which if one goes bad, at least everything isn't gone as in the case of one huge HD.
That is my advice, and I plan on following it myself. I suspect plenty of others are doing the same, and making flash SD prices drop so quickly! Excellent.
Also I just got a 60gb SSD (solid state disc) drive, it is internal but has a mini usb port and can be used like an external drive for under $150 and love it, speed and solid state, no moving parts to wear out!
I might start backing up more data to SSD drives as prices drop also instead of an HD as the 4th medium.
Good Luck Michael!and everyone else following my advice.
Better to be safe than sorry, no? It isn't paranoia, it's cautiousness.
CD/DVD shelf life depends on media quality
by vanderloo - 2/1/09 1:20 AM In reply to: Do burned CDs and DVDs have a shelf life? by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
There was a Dutch report a year or two back that checked the readability of CD/DVD media, and it found that some cheaper media were unreadable after less than a year. Predicting the lifetime of storage media is an unscientific business because of the different chemical makeups and the particular storage and use conditions (light, temperature, mechanical stresses) are variables that can't be universally measured, that's why the use and storage guidlines are general.
Most known brands of optical disks claim at least a 'lifetime guarantee', but don't specify what that is (although laboratory testing indicates it may well be decades, but that is probably for original non-recordable media), as well as claims about the performance. See these two opposing articles:http://computerworld.com/hardwaretopics/storage/story/0,10801,107607,00.html and http://www.osta.org/technology/cdqa13.htm
According to the book 'Preserving Digital Information' by Henry Gladney, "RW (read-write) disks are known to fail early, and should not be used for archival storage." That would pertain to professional archiving, but for the rest of us this probably indicates that you should make another backup of your backup if it is information you really can't afford to lose. And to repeat the operation every 2-5 years.
Like you I have backups from from about ten years ago that seem to work just fine and these were cheap disks from a supermarket. With the increased storage in disks now, it's probably a good idea to copy all those CDs onto a few DVDs and make copies of those.
To read or not to read? that is the question.
by Starkiller5 - 2/1/09 1:23 AM In reply to: Do burned CDs and DVDs have a shelf life? by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
Well Michael D,
I have some news that may ease your mind or trouble you. Where as most CDs and DVDs, like most optical media, don't really have a particular shelf life per say, recordable media can suffer from damage over time from several different elements. First of all, there is a very common and often forgotten about type of damage that can happen to this media called "Laser Rott." What is Laser Rott? Laser Rott is a condition at which the mylar backing of the CD or DVD eventually wears out or looks like it develops spotting from severe and excessive reading. The mylar backing is the surface at which the the laser light that is emitted is reflected off of and refracted by the pits in the plastic surface that makes the disc "readable." This use to be a very common issue with recordable optical media, but, has long become nowhere near as much of a severe issue these days.
One thing to keep in mind is the quality of the media and the mylar backing. Never ever use discs that are just the backing on a plastic disc, for this can be very easily damaged and is more prone to rotting out. Most discs now consist of the clear plastic discs at which the the pits are burned into, the mylar reflective surface, and a translucent or colored cover/label surface. This three layer process makes the discs a little tougher and less prone to damage and keeps rotting down to a minimal.
Now, even without reading, if you are not using good quality discs, the mylar surface can also self-distruct. No, it's not going to explode or anything, just start decomposing just like the same way that mylar ballons do. Most low or poor quality budget brand discs do this and start to self-rott and get spotting.
Moisture can also damage your discs because the mylar backing can rust and corrode just like any other metal.
One thing to remember Michael, is check your discs at least once a year, especially if there in storage. Look for spotting or anything strange. If you start to see the disc start to go bad for any reason, copy your data immediately to a new disc. Always go for quality discs. Usually Sony or Memorex discs last awhile. Always keep your discs in a cool dry place. Mosts recordable optical media can last a couple of decades or more especially if well taken care of.
Now, you don't have to store them in vacuum sealed tubes or anything like that, just make sure that they are protected and there when you need them and should not have much at all to worry about.
The pits in the discs may last forever, but the backing is what to watch out for.
Anyway, I hope this helps and gives you some insight,
Starkiller5.
About the cds and DVDs self life
by albercuix - 2/1/09 5:52 AM In reply to: Do burned CDs and DVDs have a shelf life? by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
about your question on self life cds and dvds you should know that in fact the have a self life but not to be worried about, unless you are gonna live for about 100 years that's the time is expected that the cds is gonna store the information, another thing to take in consider is the quality of the cd the way you store the cds and dvds humidity an other enviorement that coul efect this optical items. But on conclusion if your cds anre well store away from extrem heat and cold you won't have any problem on getting acces to your data for unless than 50 years ahead the dvds they have got more o less the same self time life.I hope that's answer you question 
100 years is for pressed cd and dvd's not burned ones!
by AnthonyNYC - 2/1/09 9:00 AM In reply to: About the cds and DVDs self life by albercuixI guess you didn't bother reading most of the posts, but the difference is one is pressed aluminum layer by a glass master cause permanent physical pits, much like a vinyl record has ridges etched into its grooves. These will last a 100 years, yes, at least they hope before oxygen gets to the aluminum and decays its pits too.
But the cd and dvd's we make on our home computers have no such physical pits, they are vitual pits created by a laser that tricks the reading laser into thinking they are pits by looking light or dark, those cd and dvd's decay much quicker.
I had a favorite mix cd that I went to play one day, and it was if it never existed!
Gone forever, came up no data on any cd player and PC I tried it one.
And it was less 5 years old. So I've seen it happen with my own eyes!
100 (+) years Is For Archival Grade * Gold Discs *
by Winchester257 - 2/1/09 1:19 PM In reply to: 100 years is for pressed cd and dvd's not burned ones! by AnthonyNYCYou can't talk about burned discs as if they are all the same simply because they are not all the same.The discs you buy in retail strores are no good but,archival grade gold discs are built to last if you avoid extreme temperatures and handle them properly (by the edges) & store them in cases.As I said before they have actual gold which serves to prevent the oxidation.
Archival media
by sbarnervt - 2/1/09 7:54 AM In reply to: Do burned CDs and DVDs have a shelf life? by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
It's true that writable CDs and DVDs are expected to degrade over time. If you have data you want to store for a very long period of time, such as cherished family photos, archival media will buy you additional peace of mind at a pretty high cost compared to standard media. If the data is that important, don't forget to make an extra copy and store it at some other location, as far away as possible, since natural disasters can encompass a very large area.
Most people don't know that standard color photos from the pre-digital era fade rapidly, compared to black & white photos. If you've got color photos that are family heirlooms, you ought to digitize them and store them on archival disk media as a hedge. An exception is Kodachrome slide film, but you might want to digitize those too, just to make it easier to view them!
life of a burned cds dvd
by ydurnas - 2/1/09 9:12 AM In reply to: Do burned CDs and DVDs have a shelf life? by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
i have burned my files in cds for more than 20 years now and still readable. if i live for another 30 years (i'll be 97). according to the very first released of recordable cds, life span could be 100 years. just keep 'em away from sunlight.
ydurnas
CDs and DVDs do have a shelf life
by Eugene Hartslief - 2/1/09 9:25 AM In reply to: Do burned CDs and DVDs have a shelf life? by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
I was one of the people who used to think that if you take good care with CDs/DVDs they could virtually last forever WRONG!!!,CDs I had purchased in the USA from legitimate and well known retailers started getting a type of corrosion on the inner foil layer causing fairly big gaps on the foil,I also experienced the phenomena of a pack of 25 blank discs...after burning audio tracks the discs were perfect for about 2 months until a particular day I noticed an almost simultaneous disappearance of data,it almost seemed like they were programed to last a particular length of time..."weird"! although the discs looked normal and ok ,since then I discovered that CDs/DVDs are also very susceptible to light
Oh I got a perfect example the new DicX dvd's!
by AnthonyNYC - 2/1/09 10:56 AM In reply to: CDs and DVDs do have a shelf life by Eugene HartsliefGood post, and as I read it about your data all simultaneously disappearing around the same time, it reminded me of the new technology that Staples tried to introduce. The Divx dvd's were you buy the movie instead of renting it and you can view it for about 24 to 48 hours after opening the air tight packaging.
This is a perfect example of how oxidation eats away at the data layers eventually to all brands some sooner than others.
Here, they use this to their advantage, by purposely designing a layer that oxidizes so quickly that the data is gone 48 hours after opening and exposing the dvd to air!
see?
So I suspect packing our valuable cd and DVD in air tight containers WILL extend their lifetime. Just like how my mom would wrap her silverware in foil and put in ziplock baggies. it didn't need much polishing at all even after years and years of storage.
So I suspect air tight cd storage plastic tubs will become very popular in the future.
Self Destructing DVD can help us understand about oxidation
by AnthonyNYC - 2/1/09 11:11 AM In reply to: Oh I got a perfect example the new DicX dvd's! by AnthonyNYCHere is the link to the article about the new self destructing dvd technology. I don't know what ever happenned to it, because I don't remember seeing the dvd's in my local staples. Maybe i didn't look hard enough?
http://www.gizmodo.com.au/2008/06/staples_to_start_selling_selfdestructing_dvds_didnt_get_the_memo-2.html
Anyway, it is a great example on how air and time eventually eat away at a data layer! Now our regular DVD's data doesn't vanish in 48 hours like these, sure. But eventually they all will. How long they last is just a matter of how well the dye layer can withstand the environmental forces of nature. Oxidation is a fact of life.
Perhaps sealing our valuable cd and dvd's in air tight containers can prolong their data life? I wish someone does a sudy on this. It will help us decide how to store our discs for better longevity.
Do Recordable DVDs and CDRs have a Shelf Life?
by ProToolsGeek - 2/1/09 11:18 AM In reply to: Do burned CDs and DVDs have a shelf life? by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
Yes they do, but a mostly has to do with storage and the quality of the disk to begin with. I don't know what brand you bought but in general, the gold archival discs are the best. The defective rates are far lower in discs made by Falcon or Mitsui than unknown or store brands, even if they say "archival". The "green dye" discs tend to be less reliable with higher failure rates, but even these are better than the "fashion color" dyes like black.
We do archiving where I work, and we've tested discs, tape, etc over and over again to find the most reliable solution. There's even a new system of isotopic atomic-level recording being worked on. This is ultra-reliability ultra high density recording on metal film tape.
Remember the TOP of a CDR or DVDR has nothing more than a lacquer paint coating (no matter what they call it) between you and the data. The bottom is not the most vulnerable and can generally be polished if scratched.
The nice thing about digital recording, is you can make many many multi-generational copies of your data without losses. To this day, the very most reliable way to back up data is on tape. Yes, it's slower read and write access, but the tapes will outlast the DVDs and CDRs you burn.
Why? Dyes used in a DVDr or CDr are organic materials that slowly change with humidity and temperature. Some dyes are simply more expensive to make than others. Remember that layer of lacquer paint? Moisture can seep through this material in time, and can attack the dyes. Also, heat is a biggie vastly accelerating the degredation of the recordable discs.
Don't archive to a burnable CDR or DVDR. Yeash they're cheap but for years now we've been hearing the horror stories. One University archive we know of trashed a whole collection of one-of-a-kind audio recordings relying on CDRS to hold the data. Needless to say the discs started failing. They transferred back to tape.
I would use a tape drive and back these up to other tape every few years. Yeah, they're slow and all, but far more reliable. Also, HARD DRIVES are not an archive-reliable medium for storage no matter who makes them or how much you pay for them.
cd and dvd shelf life
by TimJackson05 - 2/1/09 11:23 AM In reply to: Do burned CDs and DVDs have a shelf life? by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
No medium has an infinite shelf life, and I would recommend having a second back up copy somewhere. However, cd's and dvd's are a pretty robust storage medium - early cd's were *supposed* to be prone to oxidising and therefore losing data, although I haven't found one that doesn't work yet.
shelf life
by souriketsou - 2/1/09 8:31 PM In reply to: Do burned CDs and DVDs have a shelf life? by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
yes,in do time the coating come off,so make one more copy.
| Forum legend: | |
 |
Locked thread |
 |
Moderator |
 |
CNET staff |
 |
Samsung staff |
 |
Norton Authorized Support team |
 |
AVG staff |
 |
Windows Outreach team |
 |
Dell staff |
 |
Intel staff |
