Sony Memory Stick retention?

Don't know if Sony publishes their data, but organisations like Sandisk
do, if you hunt around.

In general terms, any decent brand memory card should not wear out in
your lifetime, unless you absolutely flog it to death. It is much more
likely to fail because of a manufacturing defect (which normally turn
up within a week or two), or from misuse/abuse.

Microdrives are a different story, and seem to be responsible for quite
a few more disasters than memory cards..

Don't know if Sony publishes their data, but organisations like Sandisk
do, if you hunt around.

In general terms, any decent brand memory card should not wear out in
your lifetime, unless you absolutely flog it to death. It is much more
likely to fail because of a manufacturing defect (which normally turn
up within a week or two), or from misuse/abuse.

Microdrives are a different story, and seem to be responsible for quite
a few more disasters than memory cards..

wrote in message
...
What is the data retention of popular Sony brand Memory Stick media,
is it several years minimum, or is it less?

Does Sony publish manufacturer data on data retention?

Sony don't publish anything they don't have to; but it should last your
lifetime certainly, especially with the price tag ;-)

In article ,
says...
The purpose of my question was to use Memory Stick for long term data
storage, instead of CDR. If I write files to an mstick, then I put the
memory stick on the shelf and leave it there two or three years ....
are the files still guaranteed to be there when I try to refer to them
in three years time?

What is the technology of memory stick?

obviously it's much more costly than CDR .....



Unless it gets zapped by static charge, the memory stick, as well as all the
solid state memory devices, have the potential to hold data until the plastic
holding it together crumbles with age. (25 t0 35 years??? maybe more).

The only camera memory devices that are not as reliable are the microdrives,
which could (notice I said COULD not WILL) cease to function if dropped, or
knocked off the storage shelf.


I have a 256mb memory stick (two 128 memory chips in one case with an a-b
switch, that went through a washing machine (hot wash, cold rinse, with
bleach and fabric softener) then went through the dryer (permanent press
cycle), and when I retrieved it it still had all the pictures on it. I dont
know if I was just lucky or if that speakes to the reliability of memory
devices in general. I also have read many stories about CF-cards and SD-
cards standing up to similar treatment.


--
Larry Lynch
Mystic, Ct.

I don't mean to be unkind, but anyone who thinks they can rely on one
copy of any type of digital media may need a reality check! Digital
storage by its nature is very reliable, but it also stores large
amounts of data in a tiny area, so even a small problem can wipe out a
huge amount of data. Given the cost of those very CDR's, DVD's etc,
why on earth would you keep important data only on an MS?

The technology of memory storage is a pretty large subject, I suggest
you do a google search on words like memory card technology, flash
memory, etc.

In article .com,
says...
I don't mean to be unkind, but anyone who thinks they can rely on one
copy of any type of digital media may need a reality check! Digital
storage by its nature is very reliable, but it also stores large
amounts of data in a tiny area, so even a small problem can wipe out a
huge amount of data. Given the cost of those very CDR's, DVD's etc,
why on earth would you keep important data only on an MS?

The technology of memory storage is a pretty large subject, I suggest
you do a google search on words like memory card technology, flash
memory, etc.


The OP didn't ask if it was a good Idea, only if it could work.

For my part, I never leave the images on the memory card for any longer than
it takes to dump them into a drive or computer, but that isnt what was asked


--
Larry Lynch
Mystic, Ct.

wrote in message
...
On Wed, 27 Apr 2005 13:14:08 GMT, "Yozzi"
wrote:
What is the data retention of popular Sony brand Memory Stick media,
is it several years minimum, or is it less?
What is the technology of memory stick?

EEPROM (electrically eraseable PROM), also called flash memory
Data retention is 10 years or more, going down as temperature increases.

EEPROM (electrically eraseable PROM), also called flash memory
Data retention is 10 years or more, going down as temperature
increases.

Link? Is that information applicable to current flash technology?

EEPROM (electrically eraseable PROM), also called flash memory
Data retention is 10 years or more, going down as temperature increases.

And subject to the usual degredation of flash cells over time -
basically don't bet on them going for more than 10 years (although they
could). Also, don't expect anything to read them in more than that!
Remember 12" floppy disks? Can't find a PC today that'll read them!
Burning to CDs is a 'better' method - almost sure you'll have some sort
of CD drive around in a few decades since almost every PC on the planet
has one, and it's a widely-used standard for audio & data storage around
the world.

EEPROM (electrically eraseable PROM), also called flash memory
Data retention is 10 years or more, going down as temperature increases.

And subject to the usual degredation of flash cells over time -
basically don't bet on them going for more than 10 years (although they
could). Also, don't expect anything to read them in more than that!
Remember 12" floppy disks? Can't find a PC today that'll read them!
Burning to CDs is a 'better' method - almost sure you'll have some sort
of CD drive around in a few decades since almost every PC on the planet
has one, and it's a widely-used standard for audio & data storage around
the world.