I do backups for my firm on CDRW’s, we backup our Cad files every other day on a 9 CD rotation and have done so for a few years now with out much trouble.  Here lately we are only getting 5 burn cycles on our Memorex 700 meg CDRW’s before they become unreadable.  

Is this common I don’t recall having these issues with the same CDRW’s in the past  but we just started tracking burn cycles about 6 months ago.  FYI we are doing 650meg burns so they are pretty well full.

Quoted: I do backups for my firm on CDRW’s, we backup our Cad files every other day on a 9 CD rotation and have done so for a few years now with out much trouble.  Here lately we are only getting 5 burn cycles on our Memorex 700 meg CDRW’s before they become unreadable.   Is this common I don’t recall having these issues with the same CDRW’s in the past  but we just started tracking burn cycles about 6 months ago.  FYI we are doing 650meg burns so they are pretty well full.

The common number most CDRW makers quote is 500-1000 cycles.

That said, recordable CDs are not an archival safe storage medium. If it's important, use tape.

Not to be offensive, but CD-R's are less than a quarter a piece.  I wouldn't risk the data for that little money.  But, yes your CDRW's should be getting more than 5 cycles.  Me, I would go with DVD-R's or RW's.  You could keep more data and have to do fewer re-burns.

I prefer flash drives or hard drive backup.

Compact flash comes in sizes comparable to cdrw or better. Its more expensive but new flash tech gets over 100,000 write cycles. Nothing mechanical to fail or scratch. Don't have to be too worried about static.

External hard drives are cheap with large capacities. the laptop hard drives tend to hold up better under bumps, vibration and abuse. also your fastest option where usb2 is avalible.

-foxxz

If it's that important, you should be using tape or an external hard drive.  

...And if you do the external hard-drive route, unplug the external hard drive and unhook it from the PC when not backing up files! don't leave it connected and plugged into the wall all the time.
~

I have suggested using external hard drives and flash drives too.  I think that it needs to be noted here that no matter what I suggest, it will be wrong because it was not the bosses’ idea.  I have given up trying to make things correct and I am just going along with the flow until I finish my degree (in a totally different field) next spring.

We do store the CD's in a data rated fire safe but I do agree that we should be using CD-R's and just keep them for a year and toss them.  I do use DVD-RW's for our larger non-active/less active directories.

We have used tape drives and zip drives and we had more trouble with them than we do with CDRW's.  

Quoted: I have suggested using external hard drives and flash drives too.  I think that it needs to be noted here that no matter what I suggest, it will be wrong because it was not the bosses’ idea.  I have given up trying to make things correct and I am just going along with the flow until I finish my degree (in a totally different field) next spring. We do store the CD's in a data rated fire safe but I do agree that we should be using CD-R's and just keep them for a year and toss them.  I do use DVD-RW's for our larger non-active/less active directories. We have used tape drives and zip drives and we had more trouble with them than we do with CDRW's.

Whoa there! You ARE destorying the CD before you do that right? Or maybe encrypting the data?

-Foxxz

BTW in response to your question on CD-RWs only lasting 5 burns. Something I have discovered with how you burn them. Typically I burn CD-RWs DAO (disc at once). However, when burning bootable CD-RWs or using CD-RWs in some devices I have found that the boot sector or track information can not be read. However, if I burn the disc using TAO (track at once) the devices that couldn't read the CD before could now read it fine. I think it has something to do with the CD-RW's first few sectors not being erased before you re-write them.

-Foxxz

Memorex

There is the problem... they shift media suppliers so much it is inevitable that they get bad batches.

Quoted: Quoted: I have suggested using external hard drives and flash drives too.  I think that it needs to be noted here that no matter what I suggest, it will be wrong because it was not the bosses’ idea.  I have given up trying to make things correct and I am just going along with the flow until I finish my degree (in a totally different field) next spring. We do store the CD's in a data rated fire safe but I do agree that we should be using CD-R's and just keep them for a year and toss them.  I do use DVD-RW's for our larger non-active/less active directories. We have used tape drives and zip drives and we had more trouble with them than we do with CDRW's.   Whoa there! You ARE destorying the CD before you do that right? Or maybe encrypting the data? -Foxxz

There is nothing being backed up that has any sensitive information they are just drawings that would already be public record by the time the CD was tossed/destroyed.  It would be like encrypting a daily news paper.

Tape deteriorates as well, unless you store it in a moisture proof, ozone free, oxygen free, UV radiation free, etc... environment. But wait, you can store CDs in that environment as well.

Saying tape is better and more safe is like boycotting DVD movies because VHS is of better quality.

Quoted: Saying tape is better and more safe is like boycotting DVD movies because VHS is of better quality.

I've gotta remember that one....hilarious...