USB flash drive vs. DVD-R to store my files?

[gamemaniaco]

How many years can last USB flash drive to store my files backup? USB flash drive is safe? USB flash drive lost files because of environmental factors such as heat, humidity? USB flash drive has some organic material?


I'll save my files in the USB flash drive and keep on the shelf for many years but I do not know how many years it will resist

[dpalomaki]

The technology is still evolving somewhat, but most things I've read give it 5 to 10 years shelf life.
The also are limits on the number of time you can write to a location on the media (in the thousands) and times you can insert/remove the USB connector (in the thousands as well), before you can expect reliability issues.

Some other issues include the media is often counterfeited, so what you think is a reliable brand name might be a fake. Buying from reliable sources reduces this risk. Also, during the insertion/removal process, if not dismounted from the computer properly, the file structure on the media could become corrupted and rendered unavailable. (If this was not a real issue you would not see the many data recovery programs offered on the market.) Because they are small they can be easy to lose, and they generally cost more than tape, DVD-R, or BD media.

At it stands the media with the longest claimed life, with some simulated aging test to back it up, appears to be M-DISC technology (available as DVD and Blu-ray), but I've not tried it yet.

In my opinion USB thumb drives, the various SD cards, CF media, etc. are good for initial capture, file transfers, and ready access, but I would not rely on them as my sole long term archive.

[gamemaniaco]

1 I will not be deleting and writing files on USB Flash Drive, I'll writing the files on it and I wonder how many years until the USB Flash Drive will store my files

2 USB Flash Drive has some organic material which decomposes?

[dpalomaki]

Quote:

I wonder how many years until the USB Flash Drive will store my files

No one knows for sure. Expect 5 to 10 years before you encounter any problems if you start with good media and make no mistakes when handling or storing the media. It could be longer, and it might be less.

[gamemaniaco]

usb flash drive can have a life span of 100 years? which resists more, the dvdr or USB flash drive?

USB Flash Drive has some organic material?

[sanlyn]

Quote:

Originally Posted by gamemaniaco

usb flash drive can have a life span of 100 years?

Who said anything about 100 years?

Quote:

Originally Posted by gamemaniaco

which resists more, the dvdr or USB flash drive?

The average flash drive is not as reliable as DVDR. Flash drives are a poor medium for long term archive. You've already been told this.

Quote:

Originally Posted by gamemaniaco

USB Flash Drive has some organic material?

You have two choices for answer:

1. Wait until someone is able to guess which flash drive you have, then wait for someone who knows exactly which materials the drive is made from.

2. Contact the company that manufactured your flash drive.

http://www.rsc.org/chemistryworld/Ne...r/10120902.asp

[gamemaniaco]

DVDR are very fragile to heat, moisture and scratches that's why I thought the USB Flash Drive is best for long-term storage of files, USB flash drive appears to be more resistant

[lordsmurf]

All media is "fragile" to heat, moisture and scratches. Everything from rock (stone tablets), to paper, to digital media. Nothing is indestructible.

(A) use the best materials you can
(B) take care of it.

That's all you can do.

[gamemaniaco]

Quote:

Originally Posted by lordsmurf

All media is "fragile" to heat, moisture and scratches. Everything from rock (stone tablets), to paper, to digital media. Nothing is indestructible.

(A) use the best materials you can
(B) take care of it.

That's all you can do.

1 Which brands USB Flash Drive and DVDR use the best materials?

2 USB Flash Drive or DVDR which is the most durable and long lasting?

[lordsmurf]

Sandisk, Kingston, HP, PNY

I buy all mine from Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/s/?_encoding=U...IEIXTGDHNIE3JR
Don't buy blank media from shady/unknown stores.

Flash is temporary storage only. DVD is far more permanent.

[dpalomaki]

Remember that a user or a computer can easily mess up the content of a flash drive without doing physical abuse to it, even if it is the highest quality manufacturer. All it can take is miss typed command or two, a bit of malware, or a hurried removal from the PC.

It is more difficult to do non-physical, accidental damage to finalized DVD media. The main issue there is to buy and use quality recordable media, and to store it properly. And keep a backup copyuof important stuff.

I would love to hear/read more reports on M-DISC!

[gamemaniaco]

1 and the medias of dvdr what are the best brands in the world?

2 if I buy a flash drive usb sandisk or kingston it will have a time of unlimited useful life?

[dpalomaki]

See separate threads covering recommended media brands.

Nothing has unlimited useful life. The recommended brands may last longer before they start to fail.

[lordsmurf]

We've already answered your media question before: use Verbatim or Taiyo Yuden.

I never trust flash media beyond the temporary use. Sometimes that's to transfer between computers, and sometimes it's to mail content. But I never advise it for anything longer than short-term immediate needs. It's also the master file, but a duplicate for the transfer. (After transfer, the master may be deleted.)

[gamemaniaco]

I tried Verbatim and Taiyo Yuden in Brazil and this very hard to find these medias

what differs these medias of other brands?