One of the things enterprise storage and destruction company Iron Mountain does is handle the archiving of the media industry's vaults. What it has been seeing lately should be a wake-up call: roughly one-fifth of the hard disk drives dating to the 1990s it was sent are entirely unreadable.
Yikes! As a marine engineer, I once did a presentation titled "Everything Put Together Falls Apart" related to the inevitability of deterioration of most manmade products, and what to do about it. Didn't tell them I lifted the title came from a Paul Simon tune...
The opportunities for ensuring long term preservation of archived data are much better now than it was then. But that doesn't help recover what's been lost. Hopefully a cost-effective stop-the-bleeding plan exists for the stuff at risk.
DC Ron BiaB Audiophile Presonus Studio One ASUS I9-12900K DAW, 32 GB RAM Presonus Faderport 16 Too many guitars (is that a thing?)
It didn't help that the big HDD factory that made everything (brand didn't matter) in Thailand blew up — mid 2000s but I don't recall the year. I replaced hundreds for school districts during the last decade after being called out too many times on service calls. The summer after warranty expired, I was replacing the drives and I tested every single one.
If the OE drive was in a computer made 2009 or earlier, there was a chance that it might still be good but best to be safe than sorry. If 2010–2013… still looking for my first one. Although many still worked, the SATA graphs showed that they were on their last legs.
BIAB 2026 Audiophile Mac 24Core/60CoreGPU M2 MacStudioUltra/8TB/192GB Sequoia/Tahoe, M1 & M5 MBAir, 2012 MBP Digital Performer11, Logic, Finale27/Dorico/Encore/SmartScore/Notion/Overture
What I found scary in the article is the part where the archival company is provided a master HDD and safety backup HDD with both dead on arrival. The HDDs had been stored in a temperature and humidity controlled storage vault. That's music that is likely gone forever.
I have a little difficulty comprehending the surprise that over 30 year old components failing. Seems like (as the article alluded to) the issue is failure to upgrade. 🤷♂️
Bud
Our albums and singles are on Spotify, Apple Music, Amazon Music, YouTube Music, Pandora and more. If interested search on Janice Merritt. Thanks! Our Videos
I would have liked to have known how long a HD drive lasts if only powered up and rewritten a couple times a year. I have HDs that I use under those conditions for about 20 years now. I also have a number of newer HDs also. I have backups of backups as I do not have the money to replace all of the sounds I have collected over the 40+ years of MIDI and I do not want to lose the many digital pictures I have taken over the years.
Thanx for sharing.
Life is short so make sure you spend as much time as possible on the Internet arguing with strangers.
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But, but, but, I thought that "digital was forever".
Just kidding.... but it goes to show that the old adage of "Backup, backup, backup" is as good as ever.
Since digital is either go or no-go.... as long as you stay ahead of the inevitable failures, with copying the data... which is a time consuming issue in itself.... your digital info should, at lest in theory, remain faithful to the original, unlike analog which is degraded with each new generation away from the original.
Multiple backups that layer each other stored in different formats and locations.... Kinda like the Search and Rescue motto regarding our survival gear.... Two is one and one is none. essentially that means if you have one of something, such as a flashlight, when it fails to work, you have none.... but if you have a backup.... there's that word again.... you still have one that you can hopefully rely on.
You can find my music at: www.herbhartley.com Add nothing that adds nothing to the music. You can make excuses or you can make progress but not both.
The magic you are looking for is in the work you are avoiding.
Most (all?) HDDs made since 2023 are helium filled. Not only are they sealed but they run cooler with tighter tolerances. I wouldn't buy any that are not.
The key to any backup scheme is to have multiple copies. Besides Apple Time Machine, I use Backblaze. My HDDs are used for backup only and they are replaced when the 5 year warranty is up. My only data loss was in 1986 when my very first 20MB HDD died. I was able to use a tape recovery system that I had bought with my Mac Plus to retrieve all but my last 120 invoices and those also existed on paper so I was good after a bit of manual reentry into FileMaker Plus. Lesson learned.
These three WD icons are my three WD MyCloud arrays with 22TB helium filled HDDs backing up my entire network over Ethernet and/or WiFi. My two desktop machines each have an additional TM box for that one Mac.
BIAB 2026 Audiophile Mac 24Core/60CoreGPU M2 MacStudioUltra/8TB/192GB Sequoia/Tahoe, M1 & M5 MBAir, 2012 MBP Digital Performer11, Logic, Finale27/Dorico/Encore/SmartScore/Notion/Overture
.. or maybe get a cheap hosting package that is redundant (on multiple servers/drives) and backed up I realized this loooong ago I grabbed a $10/month unlimited storage account many years ago Every few years they try to raise my price and I remind them my original agreement was that was the cost; they have conceded every time (grandfathered in) yes, it adds up over time, but now, replacing HDDs for backups is not my problem, it is theirs, and a bad local drive is pretty much not a worry Just another option/suggestion
OneDrive or similar *can* work in much the same way, but not 'unlimited storage' .. likely a 2 GB or so limit for free before they start asking for $10/month or whatever Storage is cheap, and passing the responsibility of maintaining it off to others is pretty nominal. The hassle of replacing drives and hardware is what you are paying for
Last edited by rharv; 09/14/2412:29 PM.
I do not work here, but the benefits are still awesome Make your sound your own!
OneDrive or similar *can* work in much the same way, but not 'unlimited storage' .. likely a 2 GB or so limit for free before they start asking for $10/month or whatever
iCloud is $1.29 a month for 50gb, that's what I've got. More than enough for my most important stuff. Everything else I've got in multiple places, between two 2-bay NAS'es, a 4-bay external enclosure, a Time Machine drive, and the external SSD that I work from.
"Cloud" storage is something I'm not keen on for a few reasons. Initially it was just security, then along came errors when I learnt that much "cloud" storage is moved from machine to machine on a regular basis to bolster security. It doesn't take much for a redundancy cyclical error sort of thing to occur ,particularly if the folder levels go deep. Finally, "cloud" storage is just sending data to a server somewhere. Storage facilities use huge amounts of electricity, generate huge amounts of heat and use huge amounts of water for cooling...there has been significant impact in Scandinavia when cooling water exhaust has raised local water temps significantly. Not as much damage & waste as bit coin mining though.
Cheers rayc "What's so funny about peace, love & understanding?" - N.Lowe
I have a little difficulty comprehending the surprise that over 30 year old components failing. Seems like (as the article alluded to) the issue is failure to upgrade. 🤷♂️
Bud
Exactly. They deserve what they get.
Upgrade your storage tech every 3-5 years, Use a product like Time Machine, cloud storage and the occasional ssd dump. Not much else to do. You’re probably more likely to get hit by lightning.
biab2026(Mac) Latest Build Mac OS (Latest) Apple Mac Mini M2 pro 32GB Ram Logic Pro (latest or pretty close) Blue and White Sea Star
You’re probably more likely to get hit by lightning.
I can't say I know anyone who's been hit by lightning...
I must say I was a little intrigued to know more about the statistics.
The National Weather Services States: "According to the NWS Storm Data, over the last 30 years (1989-2018) the U.S. has averaged 43 reported lightning fatalities per year. Only about 10% of people who are struck by lightning are killed, leaving 90% with various degrees of disability. More recently, in the last 10 years (2009-2018), the U.S. has averaged 27 lightning fatalities."
At an average of 270 'lightning strikes' per year in the States, there are possibly more Hard Drive failures / year than lightning strikes.
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You’re probably more likely to get hit by lightning.
I can't say I know anyone who's been hit by lightning...
I must say I was a little intrigued to know more about the statistics.
The National Weather Services States: "According to the NWS Storm Data, over the last 30 years (1989-2018) the U.S. has averaged 43 reported lightning fatalities per year. Only about 10% of people who are struck by lightning are killed, leaving 90% with various degrees of disability. More recently, in the last 10 years (2009-2018), the U.S. has averaged 27 lightning fatalities."
At an average of 270 'lightning strikes' per year in the States, there are possibly more Hard Drive failures / year than lightning strikes.
I agree, You’re more likely to have a drive fail than get lit up. Both probabilities are pretty close to zero. At least they should be if your backup statedgerie is sane. And you stay off the water in a thunderstorm.
That’s my point.
biab2026(Mac) Latest Build Mac OS (Latest) Apple Mac Mini M2 pro 32GB Ram Logic Pro (latest or pretty close) Blue and White Sea Star
Last Chance! The Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Mac® Special Ends Today (May 31, 2026) at 11:59pm PDT!
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202 New RealTracks Released with Band-in-a-Box 2026!
With Band-in-a-Box® 2026, we've released 202 incredible new RealTracks (in sets 468-488) in a variety of genres—featuring your most requested styles!
Jazz, Funk & World (Sets 468-475):
Our new jazz, funk & blues RealTracks include a groovin’ collection of RealTracks and RealDrums! These include more requested “soul jazz” RealTracks featuring artists Neil Swainson (bass), Charles Treadway (organ), Brent Mason (guitar), and Wes Little (drums). There are new “smooth jazz” styles (4), which include a RealTracks first: muted trumpet, as well as slick new smooth jazz brushes options for drums. Blues lovers will be thrilled—there are more “classic acoustic blues” styles, including guitar (5), bass (4), and drums (10) with blues master Colin Linden, featuring understated and tasty background acoustic soloing, plus brushes drums and acoustic bass. There are also new electric blues RealTracks, including electric blues with PG favorite Johnny Hiland (3) and soulful electric slide guitar from Colin Linden (4). If you love funk & gospel, there are great new options this year, including gospel organ (3) from Charles Treadway, as well as new funk, tango, and rock ’n’ roll drums (3) and bass (1). And for big, bold arrangements, we have uptempo soul horns (4) featuring a three-part hip horn section with options for a full mix or stems of each individual horn — plus an accompanying rhythm section (4) of drums, bass, guitar, and electric piano!
Rock & Pop (Sets 476–482):
Our new rock & pop RealTracks bring a powerful mix of requested favorites, fresh genres, and modern chart-inspired styles! We have more of our popular “Producer Layered Acoustic Guitars (15)” featuring Band-in-a-Box favorite Brent Mason. We’ve continued our much-requested disco styles (10), and added new Celtic guitar (5) with a more basic, accessible approach than our previous Drop-D or DADGAD offerings. There are also highly requested yacht rock styles (17), inspired by the smooth, polished soft-rock sound of the late ’70s and early ’80s — laid-back grooves, silky electric pianos, warm textures, elegant harmonic movement, and pristine production aesthetics. Fans of heavier styles will love our new glam metal (13), capturing the flashy, high-energy sound of ’80s arena-ready guitar rock. We also have a set of rootsy modern-folk rock (18), with a warm, organic sound combining contemporary folk textures and driving acoustic strumming. And we’ve added lots of new modern pop styles (16) — the kinds of sounds you’re hearing on the radio today, featuring exciting new drums, synths, and cutting-edge RealTracks arrangements.
Country, & Americana (Sets 483–488):
Our new country & Americana RealTracks deliver a rich collection of acoustic, electric, and roots-inspired styles! We have new country pop (9) with legendary guitarist Brent Mason. There is also a potpourri (14) of bouzouki, guitars, banjo, and more, perfect for adding texture and character to contemporary acoustic arrangements. We’ve added funky country guitar (5) with PG favorite Brent Mason, along with classic pedal steel styles (5) featuring steel great Doug Jernigan. There are more country songwriter styles (8) that provide intimate, rootsy foundations for storytelling and modern Americana writing. Finally, we have “background soloing” acoustic guitar (12) with Brent Mason — simpler, but still very tasty acoustic lines designed to sit beautifully behind vocals or act as a subtle standalone solo part.
And, if you are looking for more, the 2026 49-PAK (for $49) includes an impressive collection of 20 bonus RealTracks, featuring exciting and inspiring additions to add to your RealTracks library. You'll get new country-rhythm guitar styles from PG Music favorites Johnny Hiland and Brent Mason, along with modern-pop grooves that capture today’s radio-ready sound! There are also new indie-folk styles with guitar, bass, 6-string bass used as a high-chording instrument, acoustic guitar, and banjo. Plus, dedicated "cymbal fills" RealDrums provide an added layer that work very well with low-key folky styles with other percussion.
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MIDI Styles Set 92: Look Ma! More MIDI 15: Latin Jazz
MIDI SuperTracks Set 46: Piano & Organ
Instrumental Studies Set 24: Groovin' Blues Soloing
Artist Performance Set 19: Songs with Vocals 9
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SynthMaster Sounds Set 1 (with audio demos)
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MIDI Styles Set 93: Look Ma! More MIDI 16: SynthMaster
MIDI SuperTracks Set 47: More SynthMaster
Instrumental Studies 25 - Soul Jazz Guitar Soloing
Artist Performance Set 20: Songs with Vocals 10
RealDrums Stems Set 10: Groovin' Sticks
SynthMaster Sounds & Styles Set 2 (sounds & styles with audio demos)
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