Like most on here, I used to use/use CDR and DVDR media as an archive media.

** This Warning may apply to RW media as well **

I am in the final throws of transfering my entire music collection onto the PC, its only taken 5 years to get to this point, but thats another story.

I came across some music disks which were recorded from the original CDs many, many years ago. The oldest was recorded 9 years ago, now the problem.

Basically the disc that was recorded 9 years ago, no longer plays at all. Those that are around 6 years old kind of play, but skip a lot, the newer ones are so far ok. So it would seem that the dye is decaying badly, fairly quickly leading to the discs being unusable.

I also tried an old DVDR transfer of a home movie that I recorded on my old Panasonic DMR-E20 recorder, and although this starts to play ok at about 1/2 way through it starts skipping and getting stuck. I cannot copy this media as its now covered in CRC errors, meaning I'll need to retransfer the recording at some point. The DVDR recording is approx 5 years old.

In all cases, the discs have had little use, and are not scratched or marked in any way.

The CDR's and DVD'rs are all different brands of media, and some are gold, some are dark blue, and some are the latter greenish colour, both cheap and more expensive media.

The moral is, dont trust one copy of your data/movies/music on CDR/DVDR, make a couple of copies. Further down the line one may not work.

good advice, i think ive heard it somewhere before too, cant remember where. im always making backups of backups, just in case lol

Yeah fairly well publicised that after 5 years they start to decay. APin in the backside really.

sadly this is well documented :(

CDs/DVDs should not be used for archive backups!

I seem to recall reading an article somewhere which pointed to some sort of fungal attack or something on the dye? :confused:

Either way, it is a PITA. :(

I seem to recall reading an article somewhere which pointed to some sort of fungal attack or something on the dye? :confused:

Either way, it is a PITA. :(

I wonder if you can get ointment for it and what it would be called.

Any suggestions?

Are any artists CD's more prone to fungal attack than others?

PAArsko ( Scratching)

It would be prudent to update to newer storage technologies anyway. In 20yr you might not have anything to play your archived music.

You also get archive quality CDs. How much of a difference they really make I don't know.

Mitsui Gold media seems to be one brand mentioned a lot.

Gold Dye suitable for archiving

That's nothing! I have a couple of 'OEM' Soundgarden CDs that have rotted!