Question How long to plug in an SSD to ensure data retention?

[Pimpom]

How long does an SSD have to be powered on to refresh/recharge it to prevent data loss due to cell leakage? (Note that I'm not asking how often).

If the time needed to rejuvenate the cells could be precisely measured, I suppose, as with any other product, it would vary between brand, model and individual units. So what I'd like to have is some ballpark figure.

My own guess would be that it's a matter of seconds but it will be nice to have a more informed opinion.

 

[CountMike]

How long does an SSD have to be powered on to refresh/recharge it to prevent data loss due to cell leakage? (Note that I'm not asking how often).

If the time needed to rejuvenate the cells could be precisely measured, I suppose, as with any other product, it would vary between brand, model and individual units. So what I'd like to have is some ballpark figure.

My own guess would be that it's a matter of seconds but it will be nice to have a more informed opinion.

Yes , few seconds can do it but hardly necessary for about 10 years,
Even better would be to copy files, clean disk and copy files back.

 

[Pextaxmx]

Yes , few seconds can do it but hardly necessary for about 10 years,
Even better would be to copy files, clean disk and copy files back.

I had a Lenovo Tiny computer with Intel 7600p 256GB NVMe drive (64 layer TLC NAND).
Powered off in 2019 and recently turned on first time, and there were copy error for 4 files.
In my opinion, 10 years is quite a stretch.

 

[Pimpom]

I'm inclined to think that 10 years is a stretch too. I have and have had many thumb drives, some of which lay untouched for years. Their data retention is quite good, although the contents are not critical enough to be minutely checked.

Anyway, as I said at the beginning, the question is not about how long they can retain data integrity without being "recharged" (is there a more appropriate term?). If I were to back up data on an SSD - as I'm thinking of doing - I'd recharge it at least once a year, probably more often.

SSDs have become cheap enough for use as one mode of offline backup storage. Media-to-USB adapters are available for SATA, M.2 SATA and NVMe drives. A USB 3.1 Gen 2 adapter (~US$20) will limit the theoretical transfer speed to ~1 GB/s but that's still a helluva lot faster than most other methods, especially consumer-level hot plug ones.