---
title: Burned CDs last only 2-5 years
date: "2006-01-11T12:00:00Z"
categories:
  - links
wp_id: 428
description: I'm sharing research indicating that recordable CDs can fail in as little as two to five years due to dye degradation. This shorter-than-expected lifespan makes them unreliable for long-term digital archiving compared to manufactured discs.
keywords: [cd-r, optical media, data longevity, archiving, storage hardware, digital preservation]
---

[Burned CDs last only 2-5 years](http://computerworld.com/hardwaretopics/storage/story/0,10801,107607,00.html).