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What to preserve: the files, the medium, and the ability to read them
There are two different obsolescence problems. A storage device may fail or become hard to connect to a computer, while a file format may lose support in the software needed to open it. A durable plan addresses both: copy files to current media, and assess whether the files themselves need a new representation or an older software environment to remain usable.
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The Library of Congress describes migration, emulation, and hybrid approaches, alongside replication onto new media and information that helps future users render and understand the content. Its Sustainability Factors guidance was last updated June 18, 2024.
Preserve an untouched source before converting anything
Keep a copy of each file as received, without editing or converting it. If you create a new version for easier access, store it separately and label it so it cannot be mistaken for the original. This matters when authenticity, exact content, or evidentiary value may be important. The Library of Congress describes maintaining an authentic and accurate copy in the form received while allowing appropriate preservation actions; see its Maintenance of Original Formats policy.
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Build a preservation workflow
- Inventory the files and dependencies. Record folder structure, filenames, extensions, known formats and applications, the original storage medium, and which files matter most. An extension alone may not identify a format. Keep available documentation, configuration, keys, licenses, and contextual information with the files, subject to applicable rights and agreements.
- Make an unmodified source copy. Copy the files without changing their contents. Keep this set distinct from any converted or repaired versions, and note where each copy is stored.
- Create separate copies. Keep copies on different devices or in otherwise separate locations so one device failure or incident cannot destroy every copy. An external drive can hold an additional copy, but one drive alone is not a preservation plan.
- Verify the copies. Use a fixity check, such as a cryptographic checksum, to compare files after copying and at intervals over time. Keep the check date, method or tool, result, and any corrective action. PREMIS, the preservation metadata standard, defines a fixity check as verifying that a file or bitstream has not changed during a period; see the Library of Congress-hosted PREMIS Data Dictionary, Version 3.0.
- Document changes and future access needs. Keep enough information to identify, render, and understand the files, including relevant representation, reference, context, fixity, and provenance details. If you convert a file, record the date, tool and version, settings, source and destination formats, and validation results.
- Review the plan over time. Replace or refresh media as devices age or become obsolete, and revisit formats when the software that opens them is no longer reliable. Confirm that copies remain readable after each move.
How to handle an obsolete file format
First identify the format and what the file depends on. Then choose an approach based on whether you need a widely readable copy, the original behavior, or both.
Migration: make a more accessible representation
Migration converts a file into another format that current tools can read. It can be useful when the goal is to retain the content in a more broadly supported form. Check whether the result preserves the details and functions you need, and keep the original bitstream. Conversion is not always lossless: the Library of Congress notes that transforming some datasets can reduce precision or accuracy.
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- To get set up, connect the portable hard drive to a computer for automatic recognition software required
- This USB drive provides plug and play simplicity with the included 18 inch USB 3.0 cable
- The available storage capacity may vary.
Emulation: recreate an older environment
Emulation uses a software or hardware environment that can run or render the original. It may be more appropriate when a work depends on behavior that a simple format conversion would not retain. Its feasibility depends on documenting the original environment and maintaining the technical and legal dependencies needed to use it.
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A hybrid approach keeps the untouched source while also migrating selected files or retaining information needed for emulation. It can balance future readability with fidelity, but adds work: each extra representation or environment needs documentation and ongoing maintenance.
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- This USB drive provides plug and play simplicity with the included 18 inch USB 3.0 cable
- The available storage capacity may vary.
Which formats should you choose?
There is no universally best format for every kind of file. The Library of Congress evaluates factors such as disclosure, adoption, transparency, self-documentation, external dependencies, patent impact, and technical protections. Its Recommended Formats Statement 2025–2026 organizes guidance by content category and reflects the Library’s institutional needs and capabilities; it is not a blanket prescription for every personal or organizational file.
For text, the statement’s summary includes XML-based markup with accessible schema or style resources and page-layout formats such as PDF/A and PDF/UA, as well as widely used structured alternatives. For datasets, it favors platform-independent, character-based formats when they retain completeness, detail, and precision. Choose based on the file’s content and required functionality, and validate the converted result against the source where possible.
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- This USB drive provides plug and play simplicity with the included 18 inch USB 3.0 cable
- The available storage capacity may vary.
The statement says files should not include DRM or encryption that prevents access or use. That does not override rights or agreements: handle protected material in accordance with the applicable terms.
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How to save files from an old or failing drive
If the original disk, tape, optical disc, or other medium is still readable but endangered, prioritize making a copy while compatible hardware and software remain available. Record the source medium and transfer process, then verify the copied files before relying on them. PREMIS calls copying an object to another storage medium “media migration” when the original medium is at risk of obsolescence.
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If the device cannot be read, the appropriate recovery route depends on the medium, its condition, and the available reader; the preservation guidance cited here does not establish a particular recovery tool or service. Avoid treating a newly purchased drive as a complete solution: continued access still requires separate copies, integrity checks, and attention to formats and dependencies.
Quick Recap
Choose a strategy by what must survive
| Approach | Best fit | What to assess |
|---|---|---|
| Original plus migrated copy | You need easier access while retaining the source for authenticity or future use. | Fidelity, retained features, tool availability, and how you will validate the new copy. |
| Migration | A more accessible format can retain the content and functionality you need. | Conversion risk, preservation of detail and behavior, documentation, and availability of a suitable validator. |
| Emulation | The original work depends on an older software or hardware environment. | Environment documentation, legal and technical dependencies, and the feasibility of maintaining an emulator. |
| Hybrid | Different files or needs call for a combination of original retention, migration, and emulation. | Whether the importance and complexity of the material justify the added maintenance burden. |
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