[TriLUG] do hard disks have a shelf life?

[Bill Farrow]

On Thu, Sep 6, 2012 at 5:05 PM, Joseph Mack NA3T <jmack at wm7d.net> wrote:
> I have similar drives that sit in external enclosures and are powered up to
> run backup, for 3-12hrs, once a week. None of these have failed. Ones of the
> same type I bought at the same time and sat on the shelf are dead.

I wonder if the surface of the disk has oxidized or corroded over
time.  The hard drives that I have pulled apart had a small air hole
and filter into the cavity containing the disk.  I also think that
there is a desiccant pack in the cavity as well.  If the drive was
running, the temperature might keep the moisture out.

Bill