January 10, 2006
CD-Rs have a Lifespan of Only 2 Years
Don't feel secure if you back up your files on CD-Rs. Scientists say the CDs only last 2 years before breaking down. The best way is to use tape backup, which is pretty expensive. Magnetic tapes can last 30 to 100 years depending on quality.
The problem is material degradation. Optical discs commonly used for burning, such as CD-R and CD-RW, have a recording surface consisting of a layer of dye that can be modified by heat to store data. The degradation process can result in the data “shifting” on the surface and thus becoming unreadable to the laser beam.
“Many of the cheap burnable CDs available at discount stores have a life span of around two years,” Gerecke said. “Some of the better-quality discs offer a longer life span, of a maximum of five years.”
