How Long Can One Store a Hardrive

[leon]

Hi Guys, just wondering if i had a hard drive which was working fine and I removed it from the Desktop would it perform as it did in a year or two if i then put it back.
Or would i lose some data maybe, and what happens to Virus Software.

Just asking :shrug:

Leon :thumbsup:

[multiweb]

If you keep them in a antistatic bag in a plastic container like a tupperware with a dessicant bag I can't see why you shouldn't be able to keep it for a long period of time. I've got a couple of clones that I have shelved for a long time. They're still ok. I heard stories that HDs that have been stored too long don't spin anymore but I haven't experienced that yet. Maybe in another life. ;)

[leon]

Good on ya Marc, thanks :thumbsup:

Leon :thumbsup:

[Kal]

A couple of years would be fine but because it is magnetic it will degrade over time (think I read 5% loss of magnetic strength per year on average). Hard drives are not designed for long term storage. You can copy it off and re-write it back on every few years to counter the degradation.


As Marc pointed out, there is also the risk of the drives not spinning up again after long term storage which is another problem.

[leon]

Thanks guys i get the picture.:thumbsup:

Leon:thumbsup:

[AstroJunk]

I have hard disks going back a couple of decades that still work fine and floppy disks from the 80's that read perfectly well!

Having said that, the amount of data these disks held was minuscule in relation to the space available today, so all my old data has been stored in the cloud and on NAS, so in reality those old disks are nothing more than paper-weights :rofl:

[leon]

Ah Jonathon, that maybe true, :thumbsup: but what if it rained and the Cloud burst, so to speak, :rolleyes: :rolleyes: just being stupid.:lol:

Leon:thumbsup: