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A few years isn't archival quality. An HDD will last longer and is cheaper, and speed is much less of an issue for a drive that will be written to and then chucked in a safe.


The HDD lubricants are usually bad after 10 years...


I suspect helium will escape first. Then there is rubber perishing (bump stops) after ~30 years turning into liquid and sticking parts together.


Yes, HDD's should probably be considered medium-term storage. Tapes seem a little more robust, but it seems like M Disc, estimated around 1,000 years, take the crown. Unfortunately 100GB is the limit, so very large files will be difficult.


Not all drives are helium-filled, and theoretically helium just reduces power usage.

Your lubricant drying out will be the biggest threat in my eye as your startup after 10 years may cause a lot of damage on the mechanical bits.




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