luk wrote: > I've been restoring and saving family > photos on CD-R disks. Would a flash > drive preserve them longer?
> Luk
Good question. I don't know about life expectancy of flash drives. I would suggest that it would be a good idea to make at least two copies of the CD-R and renew them every 3-5 years. Keep one copy with you and one with friend or family far away, like across country. No matter what, one is likely to survive.
> I've been restoring and saving family > photos on CD-R disks. Would a flash > drive preserve them longer?
> Luk
what about an external hard drive? -- Paul (Neurotic to the bone No doubt about it) ------------------------------------------------------ Stop and Look http://www.geocities.com/dreamst8me/
>> I've been restoring and saving family >> photos on CD-R disks. Would a flash >> drive preserve them longer?
>> Luk
>what about an external hard drive?
Another thing worth considering is using the best quality CDRs you can get. Check out the CDRs at http://www.inkjetart.com/mitsui/. They cost more, but should last a lot more reliably than the 35 cent CDRs, which I've had go bad on me from simple storage -- really go bad from spending time in a car during an Alabama summer.
Sharp wrote: > Another thing worth considering is using the best quality CDRs you can > get. Check out the CDRs at http://www.inkjetart.com/mitsui/. They cost > more, but should last a lot more reliably than the 35 cent CDRs, which > I've had go bad on me from simple storage -- really go bad from > spending time in a car during an Alabama summer.
Interesting. As it happens, I asked at my local computer store what CD-Rs would last the longest. I was sent to the tech department. The tech department didn't know either. I specifically asked whether gold- toned disks were better and they had no idea.
> > Another thing worth considering is using the best quality CDRs you can > > get. Check out the CDRs at http://www.inkjetart.com/mitsui/. They cost > > more, but should last a lot more reliably than the 35 cent CDRs, which > > I've had go bad on me from simple storage -- really go bad from > > spending time in a car during an Alabama summer.
> Interesting. > As it happens, I asked at my local computer store > what CD-Rs would last the longest. I was sent to > the tech department. The tech department didn't > know either. I specifically asked whether gold- > toned disks were better and they had no idea.
> Luk
many people recommend Taiyo yuden but then you have the 'is it real or is it fake' thing.
-- Paul (Neurotic to the bone No doubt about it) ------------------------------------------------------ Stop and Look http://www.geocities.com/dreamst8me/
On 2006-08-15 11:23:16 -0400, luk <luknofurt...@comcast.net> said:
> I've been restoring and saving family > photos on CD-R disks. Would a flash > drive preserve them longer?
> Luk
Kodachrome.. oops hardly an option anymore. I am glad my earliest memories are on Dad's Kodachrome. They will be around for a very long time. That being said, most my stuff is scanned to digital or originated as digital. Its all stored on hard drives. And it is backed up to DVD every so often. Every 6 months, I take one of the DVD's and put in my Safe Deposit box. every two months I take one to work and put it in my desk (and yes, there are no photo's on that DVD that I fear my employer finding.. at work, its the employers property).
I would not trust a flash drive. Too easy to erase, smash, lose etc. Make backups, often. Keep at least two generations of backups. Man, life was so much easier in the days of Kodachrome or black and white negatives. The stuff would last forever.
In 10 years, will you be able to buy a device to read DVD's, CD's or current hard disk file systems.. . a question worth thinking long and hard about.
Its not so far fetched. In the datacenter I manage, I need to maintain several old tape systems to manage Archives on media that is no longer supported. Yes we copy if off, but there is still a backlog. -- Jim <jen....not....home..remvdots...@....yahoo
luk wrote: > I've been restoring and saving family > photos on CD-R disks. Would a flash > drive preserve them longer?
> Luk
This depends a lot on the quality of the CD-R disks. I have seen estimates of from 2-10 years, depending on brand and specifics (and labeling method!). I have seen estimates of 5 years on flash. So GOOD CDs would be better than flash, bad CDs not as good as flash.
Our local paper has a weekly column on digital living, and this question was discussed in today's column. The columnist advised against storing on hard drive if drive was used frequently. He advised buying good quality disks, and recopying CD every five years or so.
> This depends a lot on the quality of the CD-R disks. I have seen > estimates of from 2-10 years, depending on brand and specifics (and > labeling method!). I have seen estimates of 5 years on flash. So GOOD > CDs would be better than flash, bad CDs not as good as flash.
> Our local paper has a weekly column on digital living, and this > question was discussed in today's column. The columnist advised against > storing on hard drive if drive was used frequently. He advised buying > good quality disks, and recopying CD every five years or so.
> > This depends a lot on the quality of the CD-R disks. I have seen > > estimates of from 2-10 years, depending on brand and specifics (and > > labeling method!). I have seen estimates of 5 years on flash. So GOOD > > CDs would be better than flash, bad CDs not as good as flash.
> > Our local paper has a weekly column on digital living, and this > > question was discussed in today's column. The columnist advised against > > storing on hard drive if drive was used frequently. He advised buying > > good quality disks, and recopying CD every five years or so.
> How do I make sure I'm buying good > quality disks?
> Luk
Not easy but two suggestions- buy name brand, and in some brands they sell "premium" longer lasting ones. One brand has a gold plating coating that is supposed to aid lifetime.
Also, important suggestions- be careful about labeling. I used those adhesive labels made for disks. Then heard that these are bad- adhesive leaches into disk plastic. Sure enough, every one of the disks I had done that way went bad in about a year. I now buy labelable disks for my Epson printer which will print on CDs, or use a CD/DVD-safe marking pen, bought at computer store, for less important disks.
> Not easy but two suggestions- buy name brand, and in some brands they > sell "premium" longer lasting ones. One brand has a gold plating > coating that is supposed to aid lifetime.
> Also, important suggestions- be careful about labeling. I used those > adhesive labels made for disks. Then heard that these are bad- > adhesive leaches into disk plastic. Sure enough, every one of the > disks I had done that way went bad in about a year. I now buy > labelable disks for my Epson printer which will print on CDs, or use a > CD/DVD-safe marking pen, bought at computer store, for less important
I wish you had named names. I've shopped for CD-R disks in several stores, looking for info about durability. After determining that CD-Rs are the category I'm supposed to buy, there aren't many choices and the labels aren't helpful.
Only certain, newer DVD writers can "etch" Light Scribe media. Unless you own such a device, or intend to acquire one, there's no point in buying these discs.
: > : > I've been restoring and saving family : > photos on CD-R disks. Would a flash : > drive preserve them longer? : > : > Luk : : what about an external hard drive? : -- : Paul (Neurotic to the bone No doubt about it) : ------------------------------------------------------ : Stop and Look : http://www.geocities.com/dreamst8me/
this for the OP or me Joan? -- Paul (Neurotic to the bone No doubt about it) ------------------------------------------------------ Stop and Look http://www.geocities.com/dreamst8me/
: > : > How old is your oldest hard drive? Have you tried to use an old 20MB : > hard drive? : > : > -- : > Joan : > http://www.flickr.com/photos/joan-in-manly : : this for the OP or me Joan? : -- : Paul (Neurotic to the bone No doubt about it) : ------------------------------------------------------ : Stop and Look : http://www.geocities.com/dreamst8me/
luk wrote: > I've been restoring and saving family > photos on CD-R disks. Would a flash > drive preserve them longer?
> Luk
One way or other we will always have to be changing medium every few years - what a hassle. I'm now storing things online with a company I trust (they have a very strong reputation, the highest possible financial strength rating - so are not about to go bust, a policy to never ever delete anyone's images, and a back up system as strong as any banks). I have figured that my images are safer with them than on any system I come up with (even if it wasn't corruptible, there is always fire and flood!). I won't name the company publicly as I was so taken by it I decided to join it - (it would look too much like spam). John
> Doesn't matter really, but you suggested a hard drive. I wouldn't > trust them for long term storage.
Personal thing I suppose. they do fail but so do discs. In fact I am unsure what is the absolute best way to store, so a combination of the things mentioned seems to be a good idea.
-- Paul (Neurotic to the bone No doubt about it) ------------------------------------------------------ Stop and Look http://www.geocities.com/dreamst8me/
: > : > Doesn't matter really, but you suggested a hard drive. I wouldn't : > trust them for long term storage. : > : Personal thing I suppose. they do fail but so do discs. In fact I am : unsure what is the absolute best way to store, so a combination of : the things mentioned seems to be a good idea. : : -- : Paul (Neurotic to the bone No doubt about it) : ------------------------------------------------------ : Stop and Look : http://www.geocities.com/dreamst8me/
Heh, we have two boxes, both huge things, containing pics from our own kids and their kids mainly. One thing about digital, it's compact :O)
-- Paul (Neurotic to the bone No doubt about it) ------------------------------------------------------ Stop and Look http://www.geocities.com/dreamst8me/
>>Doesn't matter really, but you suggested a hard drive. I wouldn't >>trust them for long term storage.
> Personal thing I suppose. they do fail but so do discs. In fact I am > unsure what is the absolute best way to store, so a combination of > the things mentioned seems to be a good idea.
Backup to CD/DVD (twice) and to backup hard-disk (also twice). One set of backups stays here, the other set gets stored off site.
Is kind of a pain to keep the backup hard-disks reasonably synchronized.
--
These are my views. If you've got a problem with it, you can blame it on me, but this is what I think. I am not the official spokes-person for any Government, Commercial or Educational institution.
> >>Doesn't matter really, but you suggested a hard drive. I wouldn't > >>trust them for long term storage.
> > Personal thing I suppose. they do fail but so do discs. In fact I am > > unsure what is the absolute best way to store, so a combination of > > the things mentioned seems to be a good idea.
> Backup to CD/DVD (twice) and to backup hard-disk (also twice). One set > of backups stays here, the other set gets stored off site.
> Is kind of a pain to keep the backup hard-disks reasonably synchronized.
now that sounds pretty much like my system... and yes, it is painful
Paul (Neurotic to the bone No doubt about it) ------------------------------------------------------ Stop and Look http://www.geocities.com/dreamst8me/
> > Doesn't matter really, but you suggested a hard drive. I wouldn't > > trust them for long term storage.
> Personal thing I suppose. they do fail but so do discs. In fact I am > unsure what is the absolute best way to store, so a combination of > the things mentioned seems to be a good idea.
> -- > Paul (Neurotic to the bone No doubt about it) > ------------------------------------------------------ > Stop and Look > http://www.geocities.com/dreamst8me/
Hello, Paul:
DVD-RAM is the best optical storage medium, overall. It can be accessed as easily as a hard disk or floppy and is more reliable than the other DVD (and CD) formats, all while remaining fairly affordable.
Each of my two Pentium III PC's contains a "multiwriter" DVD drive, which includes DVD-RAM capability. The LG Electronics GSA-4120B is in my main machine, as it's far quieter (and less flaky), and can read/write more formats, than my older Panasonic SW-9571 (OEM). The latter has been demoted to a secondary role, for obvious reasons. <g>
As to DVD-RAM media, most of mine consists of Maxell, with some Panasonic puppies thrown in. Neither brand has ever caused me any problems -- nor should it, as a DVD-RAM disc boasts a lifetime of 100,000 rewrite cycles!
> > > Doesn't matter really, but you suggested a hard drive. I wouldn't > > > trust them for long term storage.
> > Personal thing I suppose. they do fail but so do discs. In fact I am > > unsure what is the absolute best way to store, so a combination of > > the things mentioned seems to be a good idea.
> > -- > > Paul (Neurotic to the bone No doubt about it) > > ------------------------------------------------------ > > Stop and Look > > http://www.geocities.com/dreamst8me/
> Hello, Paul:
> DVD-RAM is the best optical storage medium, overall. It can be accessed > as easily as a hard disk or floppy and is more reliable than the other > DVD (and CD) formats, all while remaining fairly affordable.
> Each of my two Pentium III PC's contains a "multiwriter" DVD drive, > which includes DVD-RAM capability. The LG Electronics GSA-4120B is > in my main machine, as it's far quieter (and less flaky), and can > read/write more formats, than my older Panasonic SW-9571 (OEM). The > latter has been demoted to a secondary role, for obvious reasons. <g>
> As to DVD-RAM media, most of mine consists of Maxell, with some > Panasonic puppies thrown in. Neither brand has ever caused me any > problems -- nor should it, as a DVD-RAM disc boasts a lifetime of > 100,000 rewrite cycles!
Thanks John, you may have given me the spur. I have been putting them off due to price, and not having a burner on my machine, just a panasonic stand alone, but I bought a pack of verbatim dvd-rw and they seemed okay until recently when i recorded something, the disc failed and I lost some stuff I wanted to keep from the disc. I see there are some datawrite and datasafe rams available online too, but I'll have to take a look at getting myself a burner aswell soon. (I just write to cdr presently) -- Paul (Neurotic to the bone No doubt about it) ------------------------------------------------------ Stop and Look http://www.geocities.com/dreamst8me/
>> DVD-RAM is the best optical storage medium, overall. It can be accessed >> as easily as a hard disk or floppy and is more reliable than the other >> DVD (and CD) formats, all while remaining fairly affordable.
DVDs were not engineered with as much error correction as were CDs, and are inferior to CDs because of that reason.
For long-term archiving (by that I mean over 5-year time horizon) CDs remain a more secure choice.
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