How long will my archived info last on CD?

Question

I have scads of CD's filed away with all of my digital photos and documents on them. My husband just told me his professor said recordable CD's have a dye that will break down within five years. What good are these things if they only last five years? I might as well have printed everything and filed it old school! Is he wrong, or do I have to re-burn everything twice a decade?

Answer 1

It seems that if you take care of them they should retain their data for a good long while (wikipedia says 100 years); however, the way most people handle and store them they will only last for a couple of years.

Check out the wikipedia article on CD-Rs and their lifespans:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/CD-R#Optimal_storage_conditions_and_expected_lifespan

This guy also has some interesting information on the subject:
http://www.practicalpc.co.uk/computing/storage/cdrlifespan.htm

Answer 2

It depends (Doesn't it always?).

You have 2 main factors to contend with:

1) The quality of CDs... Some last longer than others because of different dyes used in making the disc. As usual, cheap discs give cheap results. There isn't a direct correlation between lifespan and price though. Do a search for archival CDs, and you'll see many different claims as to the life of the disc. Some claim to last upward of 300 years (But I wouldn't bet on it).

2) How you store your CDs. If you store your CDs somewhere dry, at room/basement temperature, out of sunlight, then they'll last longer. Sunlight is a real killer. Temperature fluctuations (From being in an attic or garage) can also shorten the lifespand of burned CDs. Heat can be a real data killer.

CDs are a good first step for backing up data, but they're not so reliable that I'd leave them as my only copy of data (Leave the pics on your PC). There are on-line services that you an use to save data, and you can get external hard drives for backups. For pictures, I'd recommend getting prints of the ones you really like.

~D

Answer 3

If you keep it by your own way, your husband is right.
1. It depends on what kind of CD do you use to store your files. Most CD has only one year warranty period, while some other manufacture, like Maxell, has 17 years warranty.
2. It depends the way you keep your CDs, many Hollywood move makers store their commercial CD/DVDs by a third party professional CD storage company, the temperature and humidity are very import factor to store the CD/DVD media.

Answer 4

I have heard that it makes a difference which brand you choose. If you buy something like Imation, you may get less time, or if you use something like Sony, you may get many years. It is my understanding that the difference is in the composition of the plastic coating that you burn into. The cheapie ones may degrade over a short period, and the good ones last for years.

Answer 5

Your husband's professor is correct, unfortunately. However, there are CD and DVDs out there that are rated for 100 years archival -- see for more info

http://crispierry.typepad.com/applepie/2005/08/photo_archival_.html

good luck,

cris