Is old 3.5 floppy safer than USB drive for cold storage?

[Moria843]

With the news on USB firmware hacks I was wondering if I should add a 3.5" floppy to my online computer to transfer from my cold storage old XP computer that already has a floppy. Would it be safer?

[Moria843]

I'm not storing on the floppy, I'm talking about using the floppy to store the signed message that I generate on my offline computer and transfer to my online computer.

[Newar]

I ended up using audio using minimodem. This [1] is in the Armory section and for Linux, but it might give you some ideas (you can transmit any kind of data). Cheap investment too for a 3.5mm jack-jack cable.

[1] https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?topic=735111.0

[juju]

With the news on USB firmware hacks I was wondering if I should add a 3.5" floppy to my online computer to transfer from my cold storage old XP computer that already has a floppy. Would it be safer?

Some people recommend storing the keys/wallet on a DVD/CD.

[jonald_fyookball]

With the news on USB firmware hacks I was wondering if I should add a 3.5" floppy to my online computer to transfer from my cold storage old XP computer that already has a floppy. Would it be safer?

yeah but why not go all the back to a 5 1/4" floppy.  Now those actually flopped.

[Eotnak]

With the news on USB firmware hacks I was wondering if I should add a 3.5" floppy to my online computer to transfer from my cold storage old XP computer that already has a floppy. Would it be safer?

yeah but why not go all the back to a 5 1/4" floppy.  Now those actually flopped.

Not as much as 8 inchers, though.

[25hashcoin]

I'm not storing on the floppy, I'm talking about using the floppy to store the signed message that I generate on my offline computer and transfer to my online computer.

I would be curious as well.

[mufa23]

Floppies seem to have a life of about 15 years (give or take). And flash media needs to be powered up every once in awhile to prevent you from losing data.

I personally have password protected wallets inside a TrueCrypted file, copied and stored on multiple forms of digital backup. If one backup fails, I have plenty of other methods. I highly suggest this.

[cozk]

With the news on USB firmware hacks I was wondering if I should add a 3.5" floppy to my online computer to transfer from my cold storage old XP computer that already has a floppy. Would it be safer?

Some people recommend storing the keys/wallet on a DVD/CD.

DVD is plastic/polymer. It dries and cracks over time.

Your dvd is (potentially) done in 10 years.

[nsimmons]

With the news on USB firmware hacks I was wondering if I should add a 3.5" floppy to my online computer to transfer from my cold storage old XP computer that already has a floppy. Would it be safer?

Some people recommend storing the keys/wallet on a DVD/CD.

DVD is plastic/polymer. It dries and cracks over time.

Your dvd is (potentially) done in 10 years.

Years ago a I read a cd/dvd should be good for hundreds of years, now I'm reading 2-5 years, maybe 10. The cds I burned in the 90's are still fine, and I have cd's from the 80's that are fine. So what's the deal?

[Meuh6879]

CD-R = 8 years
DVD-R = 3,5 years

i took about writed cd and dvd ... not the industrial branch of music cd and dvd movies = 18 years.

i have loose a big amount of CD before 6 years ... and a hell amount of DVD before 4 years. 

[kerafym]

Printing the private key out using armory is much safer.

[Meuh6879]

hard drive unplug = more than 18 years (1 time per month, less than 5 min)
USB key unplug = more than 12 years (1 time per month, less than 5 min)

[RustyNomad]

Floppies seem to have a life of about 15 years (give or take). And flash media needs to be powered up every once in awhile to prevent you from losing data.

I personally have password protected wallets inside a TrueCrypted file, copied and stored on multiple forms of digital backup. If one backup fails, I have plenty of other methods. I highly suggest this.

You know that there is speculation that TrueCrypt has been compromised?

[GenTarkin]

No, FDD , definitely not ... these moddern FDD media dont last longer then a couple writes. Shit gets corrupted so fast.
This aint like the quality FDD media we had back in the 90's , today its all junk.

[malaimult]

How durable are floppy disks anyway? That is my primary concern.

[GenTarkin]

Bout as durable as a human head vs 50BMG...

[25hashcoin]

Reading the replies in this thread makes me realize that hardly anyone uses an offline wallet or makes transactions from an offline wallet.

[Elwar]

For transferring, an offline computer with a CD burner is good enough.

For long term storage, engraved metal is the best bet.

[25hashcoin]

Reading the replies in this thread makes me realize that hardly anyone uses an offline wallet  or makes transactions from an offline wallet (if they even know what that is).