Do not use USB sticks for long term storage! Its not safe!

[BellaBitBit]

I had no idea that the data can be lost over time    Thanks for this information!

[LiteCoinGuy]

The general consenses is about 10 years until you start to get I/O write errors. Mounting and reading from the devices will last until entropic decay transpires.

Drive manufacturer Flashbay has said that data retention could theoretically be in the region of 60 to 80 years, if stored in a perfect environment. In reality, it is far lower, but at least 10 years if you buy a quality USB stick. But there is nothing wrong with a paper wallet or a CD of course.

When you upload it to DropBox is has additional risks, i would not recommend that.

Paper Wallets have their risks too. Nothing is risk-free.

I agree. What about archival DVDs? Maybe if stored in a proper environment, without light and humidity they could last for decades?

decades are a long time   . if you really want to store it for this long timeframe, just make a addtitional paper wallet and put it in a bank-vault. or google "M-Disc", that would be another option.

a proper environment, without light and humidity is an important factor in any case.

[Quantus]

This is what I do. Not cold storage

I clone my whole SSD to a HDD every year and keep that and an extra copy of my wallet on a USB stick in a safe. I also hide a encrypted Truecrypt file hidden inside a image on Dropbox. (heavily encrypted)

extra Pro Tip:

If your running a full node client you can also use a "symbolic directory link" generator to move your whole Bitcoin client wallet and Block chain off your main drive to another drive within minutes. it's like a shortcut pointing the program to a new location. This way you won't wear out your SSD with all those read/writes and you save space on you SSD!

[electronicash]

Just a reminder

Its not safe to use USB sticks or SSDs for long term storage they lose data over time if they are not powered!

You can't just stick your private keys on a few USB sticks or SSD and box them up for 4 - 8 years you will lose all your coins.

For long term storage have at least 3 backups paper wallets or HDDs. You can even use something like DropBox But be sure to encrypt your wallet and change the name.

You can even hide your wallet inside a image file.

Ah it sure make sense. Just like any other appliances it will soon malfunction if not use overtime.
Is. There's any tutorial about jhiding they back up wallet on an image file?

[Quantus]

How to combine a file or folder into a image tutorial.

http://www.wikihow.com/Hide-a-File-in-an-Image-File

[Cantoner]

I remember someone has stored its savings into bitcoin ,around 3500 dollars soo he stored 5 btc into a cage and he said he would let it near a fountain for 10 or 25 years i dont remember right soo there is a higg odds that he will be loosing his coins over the time instead being saving it as bitcoin i hope he reads this information and avoid loose his savings.

[whored]

Pernicious nonsense!
USB sticks are the safest way to store our bitscoin treasure. They just need to be buried in a back yard, under the birdbath

...
last night i bought 5 usb sticks and 2 waterproof boxes,  i put the box inside of the other box then the 5 usb sticks in the middle of the box,  afterwards i went into my backyard and dug a hole underneath the bird fountain,

i dug the hole almost 3 feet under. Then i buried it back and placed the bird fountain back.  

The bird fountain has been in the same spot for many years so i am not worried about forgetting where i buried it, and grass doesn't grow underneath it.

so there we have it,  I buried a total of 5 bitcoins, i plan to keep it there for 20 years. The 5 bitcoins cost me about 2300USD
...

[fenican]

USB sticks, Flash ROM, does not wear out because of "lack of power" - it is solid state circuitry - they wear out due to the maximum number of read/write cycles.

If you keep one in safe dry place and don't use it, it should retain its data for 60 to 80 years until the physical circuitry degrades.

[Quantus]

USB sticks, Flash ROM, does not wear out because of "lack of power" - it is solid state circuitry - they wear out due to the maximum number of read/write cycles.

If you keep one in safe dry place and don't use it, it should retain its data for 60 to 80 years until the physical circuitry degrades.

WRONG!

Google "How long can a SSD store data without power?"

[Y.Job]

I found out about this the hard way, I lost 1BTC in 2013 

[fenican]

USB sticks, Flash ROM, does not wear out because of "lack of power" - it is solid state circuitry - they wear out due to the maximum number of read/write cycles.

If you keep one in safe dry place and don't use it, it should retain its data for 60 to 80 years until the physical circuitry degrades.

WRONG!

Google "How long can a SSD store data without power?"

The original article speculating that SSD's had a short "powered off" shelf life were discussing SSD's that had exceeded their endurance rating (i.e. were worn out) and were stored at higher temperatures. This spawned an internet myth that newer SSD's had a short shelf life for data retention.

For new drives, particularly the lower speed Flash ROM sticks, the powered off shelf life is vastly longer. At least a decade probably much longer.

[Quantus]

Your so wrong but you do what you want with your coins just plz don't spout your nonsense here.  

[fenican]

Your so wrong but you do what you want with your coins but plz don't spout your nonsense here.  

http://www.pcworld.com/article/2925173/debunked-your-ssd-wont-lose-data-if-left-unplugged-after-all.html

[Quantus]

Your so wrong but you do what you want with your coins but plz don't spout your nonsense here.  

http://www.pcworld.com/article/2925173/debunked-your-ssd-wont-lose-data-if-left-unplugged-after-all.html

Consider the source.  
Companies will always over state the life span and abilities of there products to sell more. Websites will always be at the beck and call of advertisers. PC world sells a lot of add space to Cruical. They would not risk that income.

[Quantus]

If Reliability is Paramount a Western digital blue hard drive or a paper wallet is far safer then a memory stick or SSD for long term storage.

[Evildrum]

How to combine a file or folder into a image tutorial.

http://www.wikihow.com/Hide-a-File-in-an-Image-File

Thanks. Was just about to ask you if you had a link to show how this is done. Appreciate the link.

[fenican]

Personally I would be comfortable with storing my key data on a pair of new unused USB drives and plug them into a wall power source, not a PC where they might get stolen or infected, once a year.

I wouldn't trust magnetic media for any period of time. I've never lost data on a flash drive but have seen countless hard drive failures over the years including ones I had in storage. Among other things, exposures to a magnetic field can corrupt or erase them.

[Raimonn]

Thanks for the advice, i didn't know that usb sticks could be corrupted in few years (if there are no powered in long time period). I thought that usb sticks will last more years.

[beerlover]

Why would you even consider using USB's for long term storage? I can't even hold on to my USB for more than 2 years because either they always break and malfunction (from dropping too frequent) or I lose them.
USB sticks are only good for not-so-major documents because they can easily be infected.

[fenican]

Why would you even consider using USB's for long term storage? I can't even hold on to my USB for more than 2 years because either they always break and malfunction (from dropping too frequent) or I lose them.
USB sticks are only good for not-so-major documents because they can easily be infected.

Well what are your other options? Magnetic media is horrible, DVD's are worse, and the cloud is potentially vulnerable to hacking. If the data is just a private key you could etch it into glass or something but for larger data sets not many good options.