I'm just doing a bit of thinking ahead. I have various OS/2 and ECS
install sets of CDs (and even floppies). Regarding the CDs, one
sometimes hears about CDs degrading and becoming unreadable. Has anyone
got a view on the likely lifespan of the install CDs? I presume they are
'good quality' whatever that may be, but I've no idea on how long they
will continue to be useable. The danger scenario is that one day I come
to do a re-install and find I can't because of bad disks.
Peter

On 18 Set, 09:48, Peter J Seymour <m...@pjsey.demon.co.uk> wrote:
It depends on many factors.

I've still got two old Kodak Gold CD-R, lasted 10 years and more,
still useful with no data loss (apparently). In the meantime, some
other CD didn't get over two years. This is harmfully bad - I lost an
entire recording of one of my best concerts.

Mentore

Peter J Seymour wrote:
It is my understanding that it is rewritable CD's that go bad over time.
It has something to do with the blue dye that is used in their
manufacture. I haven't heard that "burn once" CD's have a limited lifespan.

-Philip Wright

In article <VnPHi.96734$jH3.90508@bignews6.bellsouth.net>
pvwspam@bellsouth.net "Philip Wright" writes:

I have never had even one rewritable CD that took so much as the
first recording properly. Could be me but it put me "write" off
them, for life.
--
Andrew Stephenson

Sir:

Philip Wright wrote:
come off if exposed to water, light, or heat and time. I personally
make CD-R copies and periodically redo them and check that they work.

BTW, a friendly reminder, it is time to clean out the dust bunnies from
the insides of your computers, folks!
--
Bill
Thanks a Million!

Peter J Seymour wrote:
The IBM CDs that OS/2 shipped on were "pressed" CDs that should have a
fairly long lifespan, at least 10 years, maybe 100 if they are stored
carefully. The enemies of CDs are moisture and light so store them in a
dry, dark environment for best results. With that said, though, I
really don't think the lack of an install CD will be the trigger that
will end use of OS/2. More likely, it will be lack of hardware that it
will run on or lack of critical software, such as a browser, or lack of
interest in using it.

--
Posted with OS/2 Warp 4.52
and Sea Monkey 1.5a

In <13f0jah92eju876@corp.supernews.com>, on 09/18/2007
at 03:05 PM, "David T. Johnson" <djohnson@isomedia.com> said:




Are you still running the T40 something Thinkpad, or have your tried a
newer Thinkpad?

Peter J Seymour wrote:
Stepping on them kills them immediately. (g)

Not that I've done that, of course. (g)

Cover them up. Store them properly.

"Peter J Seymour" <moz@pjsey.demon.co.uk> wrote in message
news:fcnvm6$qjd$1$8302bc10@news.demon.co.uk...

Although a CD should last for a very long time...
I've had a few just die for no known reason.

For the price of the media...
why not just make copies?

As to floppies...you can make image files and also burn those to a CD.
In general, a CD should last a lot longer than a floppy...

but there's no way to predict...

I've still got floppies that are good after 20 years...
and I've had some new ones die in two weeks.

In article <bcadnd8QmdlqWm3bnZ2dnUVZ_sytnZ2d@athenet.net>
philo@privacy.net "philo" writes:

I have several I still use for daily short term backups (to fill
in between weekly XCOPYs of the (non-OS) main HDD to a USB HDD).
Every 4-5 years, I either replace them with fresh (from a rather
large stock I somehow came by when floppies were obviously going
to be in use for a long time <g>) or I copy everything to the HDD
then reformat the floppy and copy everything back again. (On the
label I then note the reformat date.) One needs to remember that
the track formatting info is also liable to deteriorate. ;-)
--
Andrew Stephenson

philo wrote:
....
Dave

xydzbcae@nospam.net wrote:
for sure. Don't know about the newer T6x series but I wouldn't expect a
lot.

--
Posted with OS/2 Warp 4.52
and Sea Monkey 1.5a

In <13f53jbk5lhqn39@corp.supernews.com>, on 09/20/2007
at 08:07 AM, "David T. Johnson" <djohnson@isomedia.com> said:



Yes, I've seen drivers from IBM for the T43p and the earlier ones, so it
does run on the T4x series. Which does not help when you can't buy them
now. I've seen claims from ecs-types that it runs on a T61, but others
say it wouldn't even install. I figures your comments can be trusted, so
I asked.

Thanks.

eaxyzdbc@nospam.net wrote:

....

....
T4x's are still available as refurbished machines. Good as new provided
that you put in a new hard disk to be on the safe side. Also quite cheap.

Peter

"Dave Yeo" <dave.r.yeo@gmail.com> wrote in message
news:U1kIi.73249$bO6.33487@edtnps89...

Yep
I can definately say: Don't buy from Radio Shack...
those were the ones that lasted two weeks.

OTOH: I have some NEC DOS 3.3 install floppies that are still good.
Also my o/s 2.1 floppies are still good!

On Tue, 18 Sep 2007 08:48:37 +0100, Peter J Seymour <moz@pjsey.demon.co.uk>
wrote:

So extract the .ISO image and keep it on a hard disk somewhere. Then you can
burn a new CD should you feel the need.

In <fcu97l$d3h$1$8300dec7@news.demon.co.uk>, on 09/20/2007
at 06:08 PM, Peter J Seymour <moz@pjsey.demon.co.uk> said:



That's a fair point. I would consider a T43p from IBM, but not from other
suppliers. I haven't seen any from IBM is sometime. Which is why I
walloking at the T61.

Paul Ratcliffe wrote:
Thanks
Peter

That's what I do, actually. I keep a copy of eCS hidden on a server
somewhere online that only I know about in case I hose my CDs somehow.
That's an excellent idea and a good way to go about covering your butt.

I do, though, keep an image of my eCS install on tape with the needed
installation software in a firesafe also...just in case something happens.

--Sean

--
Sean Dennis * sean@outpostbbs.net * http://outpostbbs.net
Author of Cheepware BBS doors and sysop utilities
SysOp of Outpost BBS running Telegard/2 under eComStation 1.2

in 228383 20070921 091205 Peter J Seymour <moz@pjsey.demon.co.uk> wrote:
So we use the hard disk to backup our backups of the hard disk? ;-)