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From: Arno on 14 Jul 2010 22:43
do_not_spam_me(a)my-deja.com wrote:
> Arno wrote:
>> Ah, this one is easy. Since your hdd has about a 30 year
>> (both hardware and interface availability) survival time,
>> use anything currently supported by a Linux kernel.
>>
>> If you want pictures, documents, etc. to survive, use
>> a high-quality paper and high-quality one sided b/w laser
>> printing. This can reasonably be expected to survive
>> several hundred years when kept dry.
>>
>> Bottom line: Wrong approach. BTW, a SLC (!) FLASH drive
>> gives you 10-20 years data retention. Better are MOD
>> (> 50 years, but drives may be a problem) and archival
>> tape. I do't think there is any digital storage medium
>> around at this time, that is suitable for a time capsule.

> Not a substitute for printed paper, but how about one of the oldest
> recordable optical mediums, Plasmon WORM disks?

Same problem as MOD: Drive availability is unlikely. Keep
in mind that the drives only keep so long (<10 years even
in storage typically) so they only stay available if they
are manufactured.

Even if it has to be digital data, paper is the best bet today.
What is done in practive is to keep the data on disk or take and
to copy it every few years to newr technology.

Arno

--
Arno Wagner, Dr. sc. techn., Dipl. Inform., CISSP -- Email: arno(a)wagner.name
GnuPG: ID: 1E25338F FP: 0C30 5782 9D93 F785 E79C 0296 797F 6B50 1E25 338F
----
Cuddly UI's are the manifestation of wishful thinking. -- Dylan Evans
From: Man-wai Chang on 15 Jul 2010 10:08
> I have been asked to put together an external USB hard drive; format it
> and put a bunch of pictures, videos - you name it on there.
> It, along with other trinkets will be sealed in a container and buried.

FAT, NTFS & ext2 are possibly the safest bets.

> Since most of us (myself included) won't be around when this thing is
> opened this is more of a thought exercise than actual task.

To extend your experiment, use more existing digital media like
DVD-recordable, USB flash drive, ....

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From: Rod Speed on 15 Jul 2010 14:46
Justin wrote:

> No, not Apple Time Machine, but an actual time capsule.
> I have been asked to put together an external USB hard drive; format
> it and put a bunch of pictures, videos - you name it on there.
> It, along with other trinkets will be sealed in a container and buried.

I'd go FAT32 as long as the videos arent too big to fit on that.

Even if they are, I'd split those that are.

> At first I was thinking ext4 since it is non proprietary. Or
> ext2 for the same reason and the fact it is non-journaling.

Too likely that they will be long gone by the time someone wasnt to read the stick.

> NTFS? Maybe but I don't know what form M$ will be in circa 2110.

> Fat16/32 - out of the question since some files will be bigger than 4GB.

Just split the ones that are too big. It will be obvious that
you have done that if the file names are chosen properly.

> What about fat64/exFAT?

No guarantee that it will survive for as long as you need.

> Is there a utility to format a *hard drive* to fat64?
> I'm not even considering Apple's HFS+.

> Since most of us (myself included) won't be around when this thing
> is opened this is more of a thought exercise than actual task.



From: mscotgrove on 17 Jul 2010 06:02
On Jul 15, 7:46 pm, "Rod Speed" <rod.speed....(a)gmail.com> wrote:
> Justin wrote:
> > No, not Apple Time Machine, but an actual time capsule.
> > I have been asked to put together an external USB hard drive; format
> > it and put a bunch of pictures, videos - you name it on there.
> > It, along with other trinkets will be sealed in a container and buried.
>
> I'd go FAT32 as long as the videos arent too big to fit on that.
>
> Even if they are, I'd split those that are.
>
> > At first I was thinking ext4 since it is non proprietary.  Or
> > ext2 for the same reason and the fact it is non-journaling.
>
> Too likely that they will be long gone by the time someone wasnt to read the stick.
>
> > NTFS?  Maybe but I don't know what form M$ will be in circa 2110.
> > Fat16/32 - out of the question since some files will be bigger than 4GB..
>
> Just split the ones that are too big. It will be obvious that
> you have done that if the file names are chosen properly.
>
> > What about fat64/exFAT?
>
> No guarantee that it will survive for as long as you need.
>
>
>
> > Is there a utility to format a *hard drive* to fat64?
> > I'm not even considering Apple's HFS+.
> > Since most of us (myself included) won't be around when this thing
> > is opened this is more of a thought exercise than actual task.- Hide quoted text -
>
> - Show quoted text -

I would not worry to much about file system as long as the files are
sequential, and not compressed.

I would also possible make sure that file structure was RAW., JPEG
will be about for a long time, but maybe not more than 50 years.

I would worry more about being able to read USB-2 in 100 years times.
It is currently difficult to find hardware to interface to 20 year old
hard drives. USB wil be fine for the next 20-30 years, but I am not
sure how much longer.

Michael
www.cnwrecovery.com
From: Rod Speed on 17 Jul 2010 14:27
mscotgrove(a)aol.com wrote
> Rod Speed <rod.speed....(a)gmail.com> wrote
>> Justin wrote

>>> No, not Apple Time Machine, but an actual time capsule.

>>> I have been asked to put together an external USB hard drive;
>>> format it and put a bunch of pictures, videos - you name it on there.
>>> It, along with other trinkets will be sealed in a container and buried.

>> I'd go FAT32 as long as the videos arent too big to fit on that.

>> Even if they are, I'd split those that are.

>>> At first I was thinking ext4 since it is non proprietary. Or
>>> ext2 for the same reason and the fact it is non-journaling.

>> Too likely that they will be long gone by the time someone wasnt to read the stick.

>>> NTFS? Maybe but I don't know what form M$ will be in circa 2110.
>>> Fat16/32 - out of the question since some files will be bigger than 4GB.

>> Just split the ones that are too big. It will be obvious that
>> you have done that if the file names are chosen properly.

>>> What about fat64/exFAT?

>> No guarantee that it will survive for as long as you need.

>>> Is there a utility to format a *hard drive* to fat64?
>>> I'm not even considering Apple's HFS+.
>>> Since most of us (myself included) won't be around when this thing
>>> is opened this is more of a thought exercise than actual task.-

> I would not worry to much about file system as long
> as the files are sequential, and not compressed.

Makes more sense to use FAT32 and ensure the files are sequential.

That way if FAT32 is still around, and it should be, it can be used and the
stick accessed independantly of the file system if it is no longer used much.

> I would also possible make sure that file structure was RAW., JPEG
> will be about for a long time, but maybe not more than 50 years.

I'd include the specs for JPEG in a simple text file.
Mainly because the file sizes are so much better.

> I would worry more about being able to read USB-2 in 100 years times.
> It is currently difficult to find hardware to interface to 20 year old hard drives.

But easy enough with LP records and what was used before that.

> USB wil be fine for the next 20-30 years, but I am not sure how much longer.

That's true of any electronic format.

The only real alternative is a non electronic format and has
some real downsides of its own with videos and audio files.


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