[ale] Backup large files to span DVDs

[Steve Litt]

On Wed, 28 Oct 2015 22:09:32 -0700
Alex Carver <agcarver+ale at acarver.net> wrote:

> On 2015-10-28 20:53, Ken Cochran wrote:
> > Given the long-term lack of life expectancy of DVD & Blu-Ray
> > recordable media, what about M-Disk?  Any experience(s)?
> > Good?  Bad?  Middlin'?  How does CD-R hold up over time?
> > Anything "good" in those?  Thanks, -kc
> 
> I believe M-Disk is one of the technologies being evaluated by the
> Library of Congress.
> 
> CD-R (aluminum layer) decays, too, if the lamination between the two
> halves opens up and exposes the layer to air.  Dye based CD-Rs decay
> in a short period of time, too.

The repeated talk of quick CD/DVD decay just doesn't match my
experience. See this:

http://troubleshooters.com/lpm/201408/201408.htm#he_who_laughs_last

I've stored my backups as tarballs (and earlier as .zips) on optical
media since before the turn of the century, and I don't remember any
case of a CD or DVD backup that tested right on backup, and didn't test
right years later.

All I do is keep the backups in a wooden rolltop box on a shelf. 

SteveT

Steve Litt 
October 2015 featured book: Thriving in Tough Times
http://www.troubleshooters.com/thrive