What's the best way to store data long-term?

Question

I was going to put a USB hard drive in my "safety deposit box" but will my grandchildren be able to access it decades later? (Do hard drives degrade over time?)

Answer 1

I suggest SSD instead of HDD and also DVD copies. The bigger challenge decades later might be whether there is ability to read USB drives. For example, cassette tapes were popular a few decades ago, but almost impossible today to find devices to access them. Good luck.

Answer 2

All electronics degrade over time so there is always a risk. If you want to use HDD then take multiple copies as the magnetic platters tend to weaken and need refreshing every 3 years if not used. 

Probably the best way of storing data is via cloud storage which has built in redundancy. 

M-disc are said to last decades

https://www.pcworld.com/article/2933478/m-disc-opt...

Answer 3

M-Disc (google it)