Using SD Cards for Archive Storage

TheTimeChamber

TheTimeChamber

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Good idea, or should I stick with the paranoid multiple hard drive system (2 internal, 2 external) I am running?

Edit: I should explain further. By using SD cards, I mean use a 4gb one to store files from a holiday, and then another 4gb for files from another holiday...
 
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Always use multiple storage - you want more than one copy of your data to be safe with a copy off site to be extra sure. I wouldn't recommend the use of SD cards as an archive medium either. They aren't designed to be used for long term storage and aren't as cost effective as hard disks.
 
Check out archival dvd's, some are claimed to be good for 100 years, another idea is blueray, I'm told they are supposed to be much more stable than normal dvd's, and hold a lot more. (not tried them though)
 
Sandisk have been selling WORM SDcards to law enforcement/forensics. The idea being the image goes on and never needs deleting from the original from the card. Ok so copies can be made for a working version and backup storage but no one can question the authenticity of the original data. Sandisk claim 100 yrs life !

Cards are getting cheap so it might be a real alternative. Of course remember not to keep them in the same place as the other copies!!
 
I would stick with the hard drives but maybe for something more portable a USB drive. Again Sandisk do one designed for making backups.
 
I've had hard drives fail whilst sat doing nothing in storage. I've never had a memory card fail whilst sat doing nothing. In fact I've still got the first ones I bought in 1998. They still have contents on them from that era.
 
I keep a few drives at the same time. main copy is on laptop for working one etc, 2nd on my media pc, 2 x external he's for the just incase.

I see people point on sd cards but to me they are so small. What's the point of having loads of data on them when you can't find them? :bonk: at least I know that's what would happen with me, it's hard enough to keep track of my 3 sd card for my dslr! Haha
 
DrRusty said:
Sandisk have been selling WORM SDcards to law enforcement/forensics. The idea being the image goes on and never needs deleting from the original from the card. Ok so copies can be made for a working version and backup storage but no one can question the authenticity of the original data. Sandisk claim 100 yrs life !

Cards are getting cheap so it might be a real alternative. Of course remember not to keep them in the same place as the other copies!!
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The cards can only be used once and must be written to by a WORM-compatible device, so it might not be quite as simple as it looks.
 
Cards are getting cheaper, but probably a 1Tb hard drive for around £75 still represents better value. Also another point, filing those SD cards could be a real pain. They are small and can easily get mislaid. I know I've " mislaid" a few in my time. Hard drives are a bit bigger and a lot less easier to lose
 
hard drives :) use a dvd if you want a backup of a small amount of data - as WELL as hard drives.
 
MisterE said:
I've had hard drives fail whilst sat doing nothing in storage. I've never had a memory card fail whilst sat doing nothing. In fact I've still got the first ones I bought in 1998. They still have contents on them from that era.
Click to expand...

Some hard drives have been known to have their bearing grease go solid after long periods of doing nothing. Best to plug them in regularly and get them spun up.

But to reiterate what others have said, it doesn't really matter too much what you do as long as you keep at least two copies of your data at all times.

Personally I have 2 hard drives (technically 2 raid arrays, but always count raid as 1 copy) and a couple of USB drives with bluray archive set for photos.
 
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