Flash drives have an even shorter life span (unless technology has improved) than mechanical hard drives.
Hard drives last longer in hours spinning. Flash drives have a limited lifespan in terms of write operations but are far more robust than hard drives when not in operation. The chances of a 40-year-old hard drive still working is too small to measure. A 40-year-old unused or gently-used flash drive might have as much as a 30% chance of working.
I chose to include an RSK Mk3 to have on my person because it has a good design and if it were left in my room for forty years, it would not have been maintained and therefore rusted.
I'd guess than an S30V blade treated with a Tuf-Cloth and then left in a drawer would have a decent chance of surviving 40 years. I'd worry more about the handle materials breaking down.
That said, since my player-character is based on myself, Jeanette would have a computer and other electronic devices. Now if a friend had the forethought of unplugging all of her electronic devices and removing all the batteries after Jeanette disappeared, even the battery backup in the computer, it would be safe to assume they would work if some maintenance were done before turning them back on.
After 40 years? Something entirely solid-state might work if you could power it. Anything with electrolytic capacitors, spinning fans or hard drives is much less likely to work. Someone with tools, skills and time on his/her hands would have a good shot at fixing fan issues. Hard drives require a clean room, at a minimum, for any meaningful mechanical maintenance.
If I was planning to step out for a 40-year errand, with nobody available to maintain my stored information for me, I'd print everything on acid-free paper. Stored in a cool dry place, 40 years would be no problem. Stored in nitrogen it could last much longer.
Previous Topic
Index
