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Ask Slashdot: Best File System For the Ages?

Posted by BeauHD on from the time-erosion dept.

New submitter Kormoran writes: After many, many years of internet, I have accumulated terabyte HDDs full of software, photos, videos, eBooks, articles, PDFs, music, etc. that I'd like to save forever. The problem is, my HDDs are fine, but some files are corrupting. Some videos show missing keyframes and some photos are ill-colored. RAID systems can protect online data (to a degree), but what about offline storage? Is there a software solution, like a file system or a file format, specifically tailored to avoid this kind of bit rot?

2 of 475 comments (clear)

  1. Terabytes over decades on NTFS by DogDude · · Score: 2, Interesting

    I've got somewhere between 20-30 TB that has been accumulating for more than 20 years on NTFS, and I've never seen any examples of "bit rot". My files today are identical to what they were 20+ years ago. I have to wonder what kind of filesystem that the poster is using.

    --
    I don't respond to AC's.
  2. Any Linux FS by MouseR · · Score: 2, Interesting

    I'd go for any Linux file system because Linux is the platform that evolves the least. It's still in the 90s so in 2037 it will still be current.

    (Watch out of the hater storm! Here they come!)

    But it's kinda true if you omit the snideness of the first statement. Because it's maintained by the user base, it's less likely to "devolve" into something incompatible due to market pressure. I, myself, would go for an Apple file system but Apple isn't so keep in keeping the Mac current and it doesn't bode well for the future. There might be a great change in the horizon.