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memory flash question

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John rodrigues

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Many people have told me that flash memory (SSD, microSD card, USB flash drive) has a data retention limit, is it not possible to always keep the data saved in the flash?
 

is it not possible to avoid this data loss for devices with flash memory stored unused?
 

Note that data retention time is a function of temperature and applied programming/erase cycles. The often specified 10 years value is calculated for a standard use case with typical device operation temperature and medium cycle wear. A backup medium which is rarely written and stored at room temperature will expose a much higher data retention time, rather 100 than 10 years.
 

If I buy a flash memory (SSD, microSD card, USB flash drive) write files to the flash of these devices and store at a temperature between 30-36C after 10 years will the data be erased?
 

I remember making a reply to this thread, now I don't see that reply. Was this entire thread deleted and restored?
--- Updated ---

John rodrigues said:
If I buy a flash memory (SSD, microSD card, USB flash drive) write files to the flash of these devices and store at a temperature between 30-36C after 10 years will the data be erased?
Click to expand...

10 years is a long time, by that time, a new storage technology might come in place of flash memory. You'd probably consider moving your data to that medium. You haven't taken into account damage to the drive, physical and electrical.

According to these links, 10 - 20 years is the maximum amount of time flash memories can retain data. After that they flip bits, changing 1 to 0 and 0 to 1.

shelf life time of a ROM, EEPROM, EPROM vs Mask Rom

www.hpmuseum.org
www.electronicspoint.com

EPROMs only keep memory 20 years!

It seems the data retention time for an EPROM memory is only 20 years.... http://www.st.com/stonline/products/families/memories/eprom/epromfaq.htm And...
www.electronicspoint.com www.electronicspoint.com
 
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Is it not possible to avoid the loss of data saved in the flash memory?
 

You seem quite neurotic about your data storage. If it’s SOOOO important, then you need to look at a different method. Flash is obviously not the technology for you..
 

John rodrigues said:
what manufactures of flash memory i have ask?
Click to expand...

Ask what? Store it cryogenically? You can ask Western Digital, Sandisk, Seagate, Intel, Samsung but I don't think they are offering such a service, you should ask other companies which offer services to store things cryogenically. Or you can put it in your freezer or bury deep in the ground where there is a lot of ice, like Arctic or Antarctic.
 

Any kind of data storage solution has drawbacks and data retention issues.

If you want maximum data retention then store your data carved into Granodiorite (e.g. Rosseta Stone) I'm sure that will last for 1000s of years. A huge drawback of this solution is it will take a pretty big stone to encode one 12MP cat picture. :)

You should first decide how important the data is and who or what is going to need that data in the future or if the data even has value after a certain amount of time. Once you know that then you can decide on how long you need to store it on the media and whether or not you need to "refresh" the stored data occasionally.

But if you want time tested solution and are really worried about data, then buy a RAID 6 array (and a box full off HDDS) and also run periodic rolling tape backups weekly, which you store offsite (just incase the building that has your RAID 6 array burns down).

Another option is put the data on a bunch of hackable cloud services, once they get hacked then your data will probably exist somewhere forever :)
 

what is your opinion about how many years flash memory retains all data stored unused
 

Haven’t you been reading the responses? Ok, once again: ten years, nominally. Maybe less. Maybe more.
 

Sorry there are no storage solutions that are permanent. All of them will eventually fail in some way, so get used to it. SSD, SDcard, HDD, tape backup, RAID arrays, paper, photos, CD, DVD, BluRay, MRAM, etc everyone of them fails eventually.

You would probably get the longest longevity with those more expensive gold archival CD-Rs, then store them in inert gas to avoid any issues with degrading of the plastic used in the CD.

I wonder why you are so concerned about maximum longevity?

A blog about storage lifespans can be found here
 

The blog says that the flash memory and the data contained therein are not degraded by age but by writing cycles, but in my case I will record some files in the flash memory (SSD, USB flash, microSD card) and store for long periods
 

The blog is wrong. Flash stores data as charge, and charge WILL decay over time.

Further, flash memory is also degraded by radiation. The longer it sits around, the more radiation it's exposed to; that's an effect of age.
 

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