Testing CD-R Media

CD-R Test No. 1 Survival of correctly stored CDs

A list of all CD-Rs in my possession recorded between 1997 and 1998. The CDs had been correctly stored. They have been tested on July 5th, 2005, and no errors were encountered.

CD-R Test No. 2 Survival to direct sunlight and moisture

A bunch of CD-Rs were left outside a balcony for 8 months. They were positioned with the label upside, so to get direct sunlight as well as moisture (rain and even snow). A few disc only did survive the test. The test also shows that not necessarily well-known branded CD-Rs do survive better to atmospheric hazards.

CD-R Test No. 3 Survival to sunlight

A bunch of 44 CD-Rs were enclosed in a cakebox, with some paper discs to protect the discs placed on top, and were left outside a window facing south for seven months. They were thus subject to strong sunlight, which however didn't hit the label but just the border of the disc. This time most of discs did survive, showing no reading errors, but I experienced that in many cases the outer part of the discs was more difficult to read.


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This page was first published on the web on Feb. 16, 2006