Let's I say I have some important information and corresponding software I might need 30 years from now, and I have it on a .vdi image that I have backed up to several usb drives and cloud storage solutions.
What are the odds that 30 years from now I'll be able to install virtualbox or some other virtual machine software on a modern 2047 machine and be able to boot into said .vdi virtual machine and retrieve the information
Viability of virtualbox as a very long term backup
Re: Viability of virtualbox as a very long term backup
Probably about as likely as it is that I can buy a new VHS Video Player to view old tapes, given the way that technology has progressed since the 1980's
Re: Viability of virtualbox as a very long term backup
I can still play roms ripped over 20 years ago on modern emulators so I have some hope. What would be the best solution for long term storing an image of a machine today that would be usable on future hardware
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socratis
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Re: Viability of virtualbox as a very long term backup
Are you going to be alive in 30 years? Let start with that. If you don't know the answer to that one, I doubt anyone can clearly answer what's going to happen 30 years from now, especially in the computer front.
Your question can't be answered with a simple answer. You got to keep moving things, like my old cassette mix-tapes; if I still want them in the future, I have to digitize them. And in 20 years transfer them again to my quantum-media, because mp3's will not be playable anymore. And there will be no external USB3 interface at that point... (at least not easily available on the market)
Your question can't be answered with a simple answer. You got to keep moving things, like my old cassette mix-tapes; if I still want them in the future, I have to digitize them. And in 20 years transfer them again to my quantum-media, because mp3's will not be playable anymore. And there will be no external USB3 interface at that point... (at least not easily available on the market)
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mpack
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Re: Viability of virtualbox as a very long term backup
Probably close to zero. The host hardware will have moved on 30 years. It won't run the version of VirtualBox software you backed up. VirtualBox (if it still exists) will have moved on 30 years, including changes to the VDI format with backward compatibility probably not stretching back 30 years.Mysteroia wrote: What are the odds that 30 years from now I'll be able to install virtualbox or some other virtual machine software on a modern 2047 machine and be able to boot into said .vdi virtual machine and retrieve the information
Where you might stand a chance is to do an image backup of the entire host PC, and back up the imaging software too, and then in 30 years time you buy a "new old stock" 30 year old PC on eBay.