Thirteen years ago, I ripped all my CDs to mp3 onto a new HD. Allowing me to eliminate a cubic yard of jewel-boxes. The HD was later copied to another, then s

Thirteen years ago, I ripped all my CDs to mp3 onto a new HD. Allowing me to eliminate a cubic yard of jewel-boxes. The HD was later copied to another, then stowed in a carboard box (kept indoors). Twelve years later, I put the drive into a USB enclosure and copied the contents. The startup and copy went without a hitch, and so far no (audible) decay. That might work for a large pictures collection. Certainly more trustworthy than existing physical media. (Although CDs I cut in that era are -mostly- still readable.