Think your data is safe, if it’s backed up on CDs? Think again, say experts. Data burned on to CDs does not last forever.
”Self-burned CDs sometimes last only a year before they’re no longer readable and the data is lost,” says computer science professor Matthias Hemmje from the Fern-Universitaet Hagen.
CD-ROMs are made of polycarbonate and are subject to a disintegration process that makes them harder and harder to read over time.
”That’s why it’s important to store video films, images or music CDs on a hard drive,” says Hemmje.
Hemmje admits that he is currently in the process of putting his entire CD collection on to hard drives. Data that absolutely must not be lost should be stored in two locations, data experts recommend.
Apart from the limited shelf life of the storage media, a second problem factors in as well. What happens if the file format can no longer be read because the program used to read it no longer exists?
Hemmje gives an example: ”If you archived your first e-mail messages from 15 years ago, no modern programs can open them up any more.” — Sapa-dpa