Ok, given the issue of "longevity of the media", here's a little survey game we can play.
Find the oldest CD-R or DVD+-R you have.
Report the following, in this thread:
1. Inspect it for signs of physical damage (scratches, cracks)
2. Inspect it for environmental damage (mold, layers separating, etc.)
3. If it's not cracked, put it in your CD drive and see if you can read some or all of the data on the disc. You can sample if you'd like, rather than look at everything
4. If you have a CD test tool like CD-Check use it to check the disc (note, this program is free for personal and not-for-profit use).
5. If you have a disc info tool, use it to provide as much info as possible.
6. How has the CD been stored
7. Report any relevant info (see example below).
You could do this as well with an old commerical CD-ROM, since all media is supposed to be subject to deterioration.
Here's my own report for one disc that was handy--I have some older ones, but they'll take some digging up.
1. Brand of Disc: Kodak InfoGuard 74min disc (650MB)
2. Date Written: 1997-June-29
3. Format: ISO 9660, Joliet
4. Physical Condition: Some visible scratches, both across and in the same direction as the tracks. A single fingerprint.
5. Labelng: Disk is labeled with a CD-marker
6. Data condition. The data on this disc appears intact and passed the CDCheck tests.
7. Storage. CD was stored in my home office, in a CD-Drawer in a caselogic plastic (soft) sleve.
Hopefully we can collect some interesting data. I realize it won't be a controlled aging test, but I am curious if you have old CD-Rs out there that are not readable and why!
Message edited by author 2005-11-20 21:59:16.
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