Cd`s No Longer Readable

Hi.

I have noticed over the last few years, that my backup CD`s cannot be read any more.

I have failmy pictures, utils, games, doom, quake and the like.

I have tried to read them in numerous CD and DVD readers.

I have noticed some of my oldest CD`s have small circular marks on the back, I have found out that this is caused by a fungus attacking the dye layer.

Most that do not read have no marks or scraches.

How many of are treasures are being lost?

regards

John.

 

Don't think this is really a Microsoft Windows issue.

But, I've been told the generally accepted lifespan of a recorded CD is about 8-10 years before it starts degrading. And recorded DVD discs are even shorter. A couple of factors that'll cut the lifespan shorter is high humidity and temperature.

 

I had the same problem and moved to external hard drives. But yeah this problem majorly blows

 

The 8-10 year span is for good quality CDs. Dyes and metal layers oxidize over time. Plastic becomes less transparent. Outside sources of acid (including paper sleeves and some plastic CD cases) degrade media.

For recommendations on good media to get, see here. But even with high-quality media, you need to occasionally move the data to new discs.

 

8-10 yrs but that also under good storage conditions or else 3-5 years.

heat, moisture, light, temperature, handling, scratches ... all these have also ruined some of my movie DVD's.

my Scarface, Matrix, the Village, the Spy Game... these DVD's no longer run smoothly and dont even run half the time on DVD player or Comp.


U gotta archive them in digital format on Hard-disk.

IMO, Hard-disk is the best way to archive content.

and no. Flash memory aint that reliable.

 

Hi.

I have some KODAK CD-R that claim upto 100years storage.

******************************************************************************************
Kodak used to claim their CD-R Gold Ultima product was the best for data archival lifetime, how can Kodak now make the same claims about their CD-R Ultima product?
The best CD-R media for long-term storage is KODAK CD-R Gold Ultima. It was with this media that Kodak scientists performed the most thorough lifetime estimation study of CD-R media ever documented. A summary of this study is available online at http://www.cd-info.com/CDIC/Technology/CD-R/Media/Kodak.html.

This type of study is long, costly, and labor intensive, and it has not repeated on KODAK CD-R Ultima media. Kodak has done extended incubation tests, typically at 80°C / 85%RH, on KODAK CD-R Ultima and many other brands of CD-R media. These accelerated ageing studies on KODAK CD-R Ultima media, considering the effect of temperature and humidity, indicate that its data lifetime is well in excess of the warranted lifetime of 100 years if the disc is maintained in a normal office or home environment (temperature less than or equal to 30°C, relative humidity less than or equal to 50%). No other brand beats KODAK CD-R Ultima media for stability.
******************************************************************************************

regards

John.

 

I tend to take Kodak data with a grain of salt. Yes, gold is the most reliable media as it does not oxidize nearly as quickly as aluminum or other metals used. But Kodak has made some misleading claims in the past, especially about their color photographic papers.

 

but a RAID1 setup for 500gb+ worth of data and growing fast is expensive...

single HDs are not even secured. I have 2 year HDs fail on me without even dropping them; it just died and all the data was lost.

so If you have the money to spend: RAID1
if not: HD + DVD backup combination.

 

I have tried using one of the many "read through errors" programs. They claim (and do have a point) that most data could be recovered from damaged CDs when they insert zero bytes in error places.

Sure enough, none of the programs recovered a single file that I couldn't recover without using them Because they either crash or hang in infinitelylong loops once error sector is hit.


Maybe someone here happens to know of a program that actually works?

 

Can you list the programs you've already tried, so we don't duplicate your efforts.

 

I don't have the programs installed and the names are forgotten for good.

I tried about 4-5 of demo and free programs that came on top of softpedia and google searches.

Ah, I recall BadCopy being one of them.
P.S.
and this one
http://www.softpedia.com/get/System/Back-Up-and-Recovery/Unstoppable-Copier.shtml