Uploaded February 2024 | Updated September 2026, 3 weeks ago
Lifespan of hard drives, SSDs, and other magnetic, solid state and optical media.
My 2023 video “Explaining SSDs” is here:
youtube.com/watch?v=F8k_XIEhKWo
And my previous video on M-Disc is here:
youtube.com/watch?v=pekgrP-v5O0
I also have a related data retention video called “Cyber Security: Backups & Encryption”: youtube.com/watch?v=uEP9GTs1lZs
SELECTED REFERENCES
Arcserve “Data Storage Lifespans”: arcserve.com/blog/data-storage-lifespans-how-long-will-media-really-last
Backblaze “Backblaze Drive Stats for Q1 2023”: backblaze.com/blog/backblaze-drive-stats-for-q1-2023
Backblaze “How Long do Disk Drives Last?”: backblaze.com/blog/how-long-do-disk-drives-last
Canadian Conversation Institute “Longevity of Recordable CDs, DVDs and Blu-rays”: canada.ca/en/conservation-institute/services/conservation-preservation-publications/canadian-conservation-institute-notes/longevity-recordable-cds-dvds.html
CLIR “How Long Can You Store CDs and DVDs and Use Them Again?”: clir.org/pubs/reports/pub121/sec4
Easeus “Does and SSD Need Power to Retain Data?”: easeus.com/resource/does-ssd-need-power.html
Easeus “How Long Do Hard Drives or External Hard Drives Last (If Unused)”: easeus.com/storage-media-recovery/how-long-do-hard-drives-last.html
ELinfor “Flash memory data retention and integrity technology”: elinfor.com/knowledge/flash-memory-data-retention-and-integrity-technology-p-10905
Enterprise Storage Forum: “Life Expectancy of a Drive: HDD, SSD, and Flash”: enterprisestorageforum.com/hardware/life-expectancy-of-a-drive
Google Patents “Patrol function used in flash storage controller to detect data errors”: patents.google.com/patent/US20090172499A1/en
IBM “Potential for SSD data loss after extended shutdown”: ibm.com/support/pages/potential-ssd-data-loss-after-extended-shutdown
IEEE Xplore “Data retention in MLC NAND flash memory”: ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/7056062
IONAS “How Long is SSD Life Span?”: ionos.co.uk/digitalguide/server/security/ssd-life-span
JEDEC “JECEC SSD Specifications Explained”: jedec.org/sites/default/files/Alvin_Cox%20%5BCompatibility%20Mode%5D_0.pdf
Micron “Comparing SSD and HDD Endurance in the Age of QLC SSDs”: micron.com/-/media/client/global/documents/products/white-paper/5210_ssd_vs_hdd_endurance_white_paper.pdf
Pioneer “BDRZ13”: pioneerelectronics.com/PUSA/Computer/Computer+Drives/BDR-X13UBK
Robots.net “How Long Can SSD Hold Data Without Power”: robots.net/tech/how-long-can-ssd-hold-data-without-power
SD Association “FAQ”: sdcard.org/consumers/faq
Secure Data Recovery “How Long do Hard Drives Last”: securedatarecovery.com/blog/how-long-do-hard-drives-last
Segate “Establishing Industry Endurance Standards for Solid State Storage”: seagate.com/files/staticfiles/docs/pdf/whitepaper/tp618-ssd-tech-paper-us.pdf
Superuser “Lifespan of an SSD (NAND Flash) for minimal write use archive purposes”: superuser.com/questions/1334494/lifespan-of-an-ssd-nand-flash-for-minimal-write-use-archive-purposes-write-on
Superuser “SSD Data Refresh”: superuser.com/questions/923081/ssd-data-refresh
TechTarget “What is NAND Flash wear-out?”: techtarget.com/searchstorage/definition/NAND-flash-wear-out
Total Data Migration “Storage Lifespan FAQs - Tape Data Services”: totaldatamigration.com/storage-lifespan-faqs
TechTarget “Charge trap technology advantages for 3D NAND flash drives”: techtarget.com/searchstorage/tip/Charge-trap-technology-advantages-for-3D-NAND-flash-drives
More videos on computing and related topics can be found at:
youtube.com/@ExplainingComputers
You may also like my ExplainingTheFuture channel at: youtube.com/@ExplainingTheFuture
Chapters:
00:00 Introduction
00:37 Data Survival (overview)
02:25 Hard Drive Life Expectancy
07:07 Other Magnetic Storage
08:15 SSD Life Expectancy
13:30 Flash Drives & Memory Cards
14:17 CDs, DVDs & Blu-Ray
17:04 Data Immortality
#SSD #Lifespan #HDD #DVD #Blu-Ray #ExplainingComputers
Lifespan of hard drives, SSDs, and other magnetic, solid state and optical media.
My 2023 video “Explaining SSDs” is here:
youtube.com/watch?v=F8k_XIEhKWo
And my previous video on M-Disc is here:
youtube.com/watch?v=pekgrP-v5O0
I also have a related data retention video called “Cyber Security: Backups & Encryption”: youtube.com/watch?v=uEP9GTs1lZs
SELECTED REFERENCES
Arcserve “Data Storage Lifespans”: arcserve.com/blog/data-storage-lifespans-how-long-will-media-really-last
Backblaze “Backblaze Drive Stats for Q1 2023”: backblaze.com/blog/backblaze-drive-stats-for-q1-2023
Backblaze “How Long do Disk Drives Last?”: backblaze.com/blog/how-long-do-disk-drives-last
Canadian Conversation Institute “Longevity of Recordable CDs, DVDs and Blu-rays”: canada.ca/en/conservation-institute/services/conservation-preservation-publications/canadian-conservation-institute-notes/longevity-recordable-cds-dvds.html
CLIR “How Long Can You Store CDs and DVDs and Use Them Again?”: clir.org/pubs/reports/pub121/sec4
Easeus “Does and SSD Need Power to Retain Data?”: easeus.com/resource/does-ssd-need-power.html
Easeus “How Long Do Hard Drives or External Hard Drives Last (If Unused)”: easeus.com/storage-media-recovery/how-long-do-hard-drives-last.html
ELinfor “Flash memory data retention and integrity technology”: elinfor.com/knowledge/flash-memory-data-retention-and-integrity-technology-p-10905
Enterprise Storage Forum: “Life Expectancy of a Drive: HDD, SSD, and Flash”: enterprisestorageforum.com/hardware/life-expectancy-of-a-drive
Google Patents “Patrol function used in flash storage controller to detect data errors”: patents.google.com/patent/US20090172499A1/en
IBM “Potential for SSD data loss after extended shutdown”: ibm.com/support/pages/potential-ssd-data-loss-after-extended-shutdown
IEEE Xplore “Data retention in MLC NAND flash memory”: ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/7056062
IONAS “How Long is SSD Life Span?”: ionos.co.uk/digitalguide/server/security/ssd-life-span
JEDEC “JECEC SSD Specifications Explained”: jedec.org/sites/default/files/Alvin_Cox%20%5BCompatibility%20Mode%5D_0.pdf
Micron “Comparing SSD and HDD Endurance in the Age of QLC SSDs”: micron.com/-/media/client/global/documents/products/white-paper/5210_ssd_vs_hdd_endurance_white_paper.pdf
Pioneer “BDRZ13”: pioneerelectronics.com/PUSA/Computer/Computer+Drives/BDR-X13UBK
Robots.net “How Long Can SSD Hold Data Without Power”: robots.net/tech/how-long-can-ssd-hold-data-without-power
SD Association “FAQ”: sdcard.org/consumers/faq
Secure Data Recovery “How Long do Hard Drives Last”: securedatarecovery.com/blog/how-long-do-hard-drives-last
Segate “Establishing Industry Endurance Standards for Solid State Storage”: seagate.com/files/staticfiles/docs/pdf/whitepaper/tp618-ssd-tech-paper-us.pdf
Superuser “Lifespan of an SSD (NAND Flash) for minimal write use archive purposes”: superuser.com/questions/1334494/lifespan-of-an-ssd-nand-flash-for-minimal-write-use-archive-purposes-write-on
Superuser “SSD Data Refresh”: superuser.com/questions/923081/ssd-data-refresh
TechTarget “What is NAND Flash wear-out?”: techtarget.com/searchstorage/definition/NAND-flash-wear-out
Total Data Migration “Storage Lifespan FAQs - Tape Data Services”: totaldatamigration.com/storage-lifespan-faqs
TechTarget “Charge trap technology advantages for 3D NAND flash drives”: techtarget.com/searchstorage/tip/Charge-trap-technology-advantages-for-3D-NAND-flash-drives
More videos on computing and related topics can be found at:
youtube.com/@ExplainingComputers
You may also like my ExplainingTheFuture channel at: youtube.com/@ExplainingTheFuture
Chapters:
00:00 Introduction
00:37 Data Survival (overview)
02:25 Hard Drive Life Expectancy
07:07 Other Magnetic Storage
08:15 SSD Life Expectancy
13:30 Flash Drives & Memory Cards
14:17 CDs, DVDs & Blu-Ray
17:04 Data Immortality
#SSD #Lifespan #HDD #DVD #Blu-Ray #ExplainingComputers
