cross-posted from: https://lemmy.eco.br/post/4492477

How to store digital files for posterity? (hundreds of years)

How to store digital files for posterity? (hundreds of years)

I have some family videos and audios and I want to physically save them for posterity so that it lasts for periods like 200 years and more. This allows great-grandchildren and great-great-grandchildren to have access.

From the research I did, I found that the longest-lasting way to physically store digital content is through CD-R gold discs, but it may only last 100 years. From what I researched, the average lifespan of HDs and SSDs is no more than 10 years.

I came to the conclusion that the only way to ensure that the files really pass from generation to generation is to record them on CDs and distribute them to the family, asking them to make copies from time to time.

It’s crazy to think that if there were suddenly a mass extinction of the human species, intelligent beings arriving on Earth in 1000 years would probably not be able to access our digital content. While cave paintings would probably remain in the same place.

What is your opinion?

  • Hurculina Drubman@lemm.eeEnglish
    4·
    9 months ago

    lol a drive continuing to work for 10 years doesn’t mean that you could write to that drive, and have it sit in a drawer for over 10 years without the data getting corrupted.

    • Mikufan@ani.socialEnglish
      1·
      9 months ago

      Did you read? The data corruption comes from the controller dieing, wich is exactly what i said. This isn’t the disk itself, its about the (basically) SSD that stores the data about what is where on the disks and the firmware necessary to access it.

      • Auli@lemmy.caEnglish
        4·
        9 months ago

        Not true the charge in the cells also leaks so it well eventually become corrupt. You can see it in running SSDs in sections that are not written to a lot. The data sits there unchanged and the SSD has to do error correction and it slows down the drive.

        • Mikufan@ani.socialEnglish
          1·
          9 months ago

          Yes, the controller dies slowly but the HDD disk itself remains unchanged. The corruption comes from the dieing controller wich is because the controller dieing means the plate looses the information about where what is located on the disks.

        • Mikufan@ani.socialEnglish
          1·
          9 months ago

          I talked specifically about the disks itself, not the HDD in general, the HDD contains a SSD wich needs power to stay alive.

          My point was that the plates themselves will keep the data forever unless they are exposed to strong magnetic interferences (earths own magic field isn’t really a problem as its pretty stable, it’s mostly bringing other magnets close or having them exposed in a solar storm wich would cause actual damage to the plate)

          • Hurculina Drubman@lemm.eeEnglish
            6·
            9 months ago

            I don’t think I’ve had a conversation that felt so much like Reddit on Lemmy until just now. when stored at a non-absolute zero temperature, magnetic discs are subject to thermal relaxation, even if they’re kept at a steady temperature. besides the fact that you’re going to pretend like we weren’t specifically talking about the HDD plates, I’m not continuing this conversation because holy shit you’re just trying to be frustrating