My blank CD's that came with my CDRW state a shelf life of 100
years...recorded or not.  :-)

        -----Original Message-----
        From:   Chris Goodey [SMTP:[log in to unmask]]
        Sent:   Friday, March 09, 2001 1:26 PM
        To:     [log in to unmask]
        Subject:        Re: Magnetic media shelf life

        Most of the tape media have a suggested 'retensioning' period of a
year.
        That is, stick them in a drive and process them through to the end.

        Current CDs and DVDs are supposed to be non-magnetic. But then,
        the writable kind say not to leave in bright light, either.
        So for backup purposes, I don't know how long they will last.
        Probably the writable kind will last a while kept in the dark
        under controlled conditions, but I still wouldn't bet my life
        I could read them 20 years for now. Perhaps you used a batch of
        bad blank CDs that oxidized, delaminated, etc.

        I think microfilm is still one of the most proven long term
        storage medias.

        -----Original Message-----
        From: Brad Feazell [mailto:[log in to unmask]]
        Sent: Friday, March 09, 2001 9:32 AM
        To: [log in to unmask]
        Subject: [HP3000-L] Magnetic media shelf life


        Does anyone have a good fix on the shelf life of various backup
media? I've
        got old reel tapes and DAT tapes stored offsite that range from one
to ten
        years old. Even if I had a reel tape drive anymore, I question
whether those
        ten year old tapes are still readable.

        What about CDs and DVDs? I read an article today that suggested that
DVDs
        are good for over 100 years. Are CDs and DVDs totally non-magnetic?

        Brad Feazell