Way way back in the 1990s when CDs first came out, manufacturers spouted off that they would most likely last 100 years or more. Since that's pretty hard to prove - especially when something first comes out - we of course all believed them.
Wouldn't that be great!
Burn the family pictures on the disc once and go through 2 generations before you have to worry about the backup media degrading. Well, unfortunately, we have found since then, that there are a lot of things in a disc's environment that can cause it to not retain the data that's been recorded on it.
Bottom line is, the data on disc's can fade away in as little as 2 years.
Variability in manufacturing causes a lot of these problems, but the physical environment can, too.
These lovely sounding words are the top few ways you can lose data on a bad CD:
1. Rot - Includes abrasion and chemical changes to the surface.
2. Delamination - The disc is made from layers that come apart.
3. Oxidation - The aluminum or gold reflective layer, can be eaten away by the atmosphere.
Your CDs also have some natural enemies in the environment they live in...
1. Direct Sunlight
2. Rapid temperature changes and rapid humidity changes
3. Weight of the CD itself - This means that if you store them flat, then they can warp.
4. Fingerprints, smudges and the like
Here's are some tips on what to do/not do to take care of your CDs and DVDs...
1. Only pick up CDs by the center or by the outside edges
2. No dirt on the disc - obviously...the data is stored in physical indentations
3. Store discs standing up not flat
4. Only leave discs in a cool and dry place - that's the ideal environment for them
5. To clean a really dirty CD, use rubbing alcohol then rinse with water and dry with a soft cloth
Many people use CDs and DVDs to backup important data and the likelihood of failure is something all who backup that way need to keep in mind. It's still not a bad idea to back up to a CD, but also use online backup storage to make sure your bases are covered. Every disc must be checked to make sure the data has actually been recorded or it's time to use it for some other purpose - (like a Frisbee or a table shim, maybe.
About this Author
Roger G. Brown is data backup and security expert. He has significant experience in helping individuals and small businesses make cost-effective decisions about data backup and storage. If you want to learn how to avoid losing your data, check out Roger's website at http://www.onlinebackupstoragereviews.com.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Roger_G_Brown
