PCTech Forums

I was wondering how permanent a CDROM backup is.Would it last,in theory, a lifetime? The reason I ask is that a couple of my CDROM disks seem to have deteriorated,the gold metallic disc in the middle some how flaked off.

If looked after properly a cd should last around 30 years mate.
But things like sunlight and such can greatly damage cd's.

Also, did you know that finger print marks and smudges can do more damage than scrathches.

Discs last longest when stored in plastic cases in a cool, dark, dry environment. Because gravity can gradually bend the disc, storing it upright like a book is best for long-term storage.


Do:

Handle discs by the outer edge or the center hole.
Use a non solvent-based felt-tip permanent marker to mark the label side of the disc.
Keep dirt or other foreign matter from the disc.
Store discs upright (book style) in plastic cases specified for CDs and DVDs.
Return discs to storage cases immediately after use.
Leave discs in their packaging (or cases) to minimize the effects of environmental changes.
Open a recordable disc package only when you are ready to record data on that disc.
Store in a cool, dry, dark environment in which the air is clean.
Remove dirt, foreign material, fingerprints, smudges, and liquids by wiping with a clean cotton fabric in a straight line from the center of the disc toward the outer edge.
Use CD/DVD cleaning detergent, isopropyl alcohol or methanol to remove stubborn dirt or material.
Check the disc surface before recording.

Don't:

Touch the surface of the disc.
Bend the disc
Use adhesive labels.
Store discs horizontally for a long time (years).
Open a recordable optical disc package if you are not ready to record.
Expose discs to extreme heat or high humidity.
Expose discs to extreme rapid temperature or humidity changes.
Expose recordable discs to prolonged sunlight or other sources of UV light.
Write or mark in the data area of the disc (area where the laser "reads").
Clean in a circular direction around the disc.

For CDs especially do not:
Scratch the label side of a CD.
Use a pen, pencil, or fine tip marker to write on the disc.
Write on the disc with markers that contain solvents.
Try to peel off or re-position a label.

Hope ive said what your after mate.

Venney

lol Thats a reply and a half!

Thanks!