[WrtCdEvrydy]

I'd argue SSD here... those memory chips should be good for a few years.

[ineedasername]

A few years isn't archival quality. An HDD will last longer and is cheaper, and speed is much less of an issue for a drive that will be written to and then chucked in a safe.

[WrtCdEvrydy]

The HDD lubricants are usually bad after 10 years...

[rasz]

I suspect helium will escape first. Then there is rubber perishing (bump stops) after ~30 years turning into liquid and sticking parts together.

[ineedasername]

Yes, HDD's should probably be considered medium-term storage. Tapes seem a little more robust, but it seems like M Disc, estimated around 1,000 years, take the crown. Unfortunately 100GB is the limit, so very large files will be difficult.

[WrtCdEvrydy]

Not all drives are helium-filled, and theoretically helium just reduces power usage.

Your lubricant drying out will be the biggest threat in my eye as your startup after 10 years may cause a lot of damage on the mechanical bits.

[Aardwolf]

How long is a few years? What would be a good recommendation for decades? Time goes fast!

[kiririn]

More like 1 year at best

Modern SSDs not only sacrifice endurance and sustained performance, they also sacrifice power off data retention