Do you know how much time information can be kept in a hard disk?
By cdsamp
@cdsamp (91)
Argentina
December 2, 2008 11:53am CST
Do you know how much time information will be kept without being corrupted in my hard disk, if I leave it without use for a long term?
For example: I buy a 1Tb hard disk to save important information. I use it completely (all the 1024 Gigabytes). If I leave it without use, kept somewhere else (not plugged to the computer) for 20 years. Do you know if I will have the information without being corrupted?
The question is: How much time does information can be kept in a hard disk before it gets corrupted, supposing that the hard disk haves no mechanical problem?
Imagine you come 20 years later, plug the hard disk to your computer, and it works, but it doesn't recognize the information. Do you know technically how much time information can be safe without being corrupted in the hard disk?
I'm sorry to repeat the question again and again, but i want to make clear that the hard disk will have no mechanical problems, it will work, I'm focusing on the information that is stored in the hard disk..
Thank you all very much for any answer you can give me!!
Regards
4 responses
@thecrazyjogger (3178)
• India
2 Dec 08
it is not on the harddsisk but also the environment
if its in a wet place it will corrode
but really.. u cant say!
i suggesst u update the information every once in a while
bcuz 4 years from now u wont b in need OF ALL THE INFORMATION u put on there
@cdsamp (91)
• Argentina
2 Dec 08
Let's say the environment it's ok, at 10°-40° (celsius), and humidity its ok.
I'm talking about how much information can last without getting corrupted on a functioning hard disk with a good environment. The only variable it's time. I'm sure that in 20 years information would be probable corrupted. But I can't find a technical paper that specifies or warranty some time before information integrity can't be assured.
I think it its related with magnetic remnant but I don't know.
Does anybody haves any clue about this??
Thanks!
@thecrazyjogger (3178)
• India
2 Dec 08
yeah well but STILL
THERE ARE TOOO MANY VARIABLES
have faith n redo ur backups!
@Anchopy (1453)
• Paraguay
4 Dec 08
I think that if you don't use the hard disk for that long, the information stored there will not be valuable by that time, I think that you should use all that you can the hard disk right now that you know that the stored information is not corrupted or loss and make backups to blu-ray disks or DVDs.
@wanris (141)
• Indonesia
4 Dec 08
I think your hard disk still can be used. But the problem is, is a technology at next 10 years will compatible with your hard disk? Today, there are new technology hard disk at laptop : SATA and SSD. Now, you are hard to find PATA hard disk. the problem is technology always grow. It is compatible or not.
@cdsamp (91)
• Argentina
4 Dec 08
No, that's not a problem. I need to focus only in one variable, forget of having mechanical problems on the hard disk, or don't have in 30 years technology that support Serial ATA or whatever.
It seems that information can last approx 30 years in a 160Gigabytes removable hard disk.
Regards
@azharshahzad (101)
• Pakistan
2 Dec 08
If you mean no mechanical problems then it will remain good for lifetime because you are doing nothing with it. Data is only corrupt when hard disk have some problems bad sectors etc. But as you are not using it,then it will be as it is new. Hard disk loses its performance due to overuse and successive formatting in small intervals.
Conclusion is simple if you have 1T of hard disk and you all use it then keep it in save place it will be safe over the centuries. Corossion of Hard disk is not a significant cause.
