CD Shelf Life?

[Weed Shark]

Old photographers would make dupes of their valuable 35mm slides before they lost their color. What is the shelf life of a CD?

I just put some images on CD this morning.

[finnbay]

I'm no expert, but I've heard anywhere from 5 years to 25 years depending on what type you use and how they are stored. I'm guessing that a new storage format will come along before too long and everything will be geared to that (planned obsolesence)? Recommended that if it is really important, that you have two different types of backup media (external hard drive and CD, for example).

[MN Shutterbug]

I've researched and read anywhere from 5 to 80 years, dependent on quality of CD, storage, etc.

[Steve Foss]

Yeah, archival grade CDs last the longest, but the medium is so young no one knows whether the longevity tests are worth the paper they're written on.

Some things you can do to prolong CD life. Never write directly on the CD with anything. It eventually will bleed through and affect the data. Never handle a CD except by the edges, and then only sparingly. Skin oils will eventually affect the data. Individual sleeves with soft inner liners will baby your CDs (I buy the kind from Quill that hold two CDs per sleeve). And by all means do keep them in some type of storage container so they're not getting pushed and rubbed and flung around. I write only on the plastic sleeves.

In more than three years of digital photography, I now have somewhere around 600-700 CDs backing up my images, as well two supplemental hard drives. Just filled the 280 Gb and am starting on the new 320 Gb.

[MN Shutterbug]

Quote:

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In more than three years of digital photography, I now have somewhere around 600-700 CDs backing up my images, as well two supplemental hard drives. Just filled the 280 Gb and am starting on the new 320 Gb.

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At least you can write yours off of your taxes.

I also read that you shouldn't put them in the thin jewel cases. The rubbing or abrading may eventually affect them.

[Steve Foss]

XT, I agree on the jewel cases. I never store them in jewel cases, though I do sometimes ship them that way to publication clients, who of course aren't concerned about longevity of the CD.