Looking to learn from this, first time I edited question (other than in-lining an image or some typos)

Question

I got some criticism for editing a question. I personally don't think I mutilated the question but others may feel differently.

Original question:

I am trying to find a long-term method of storing RAW photos. I'd like to keep it as simple as possible, while minimizing data loss (obviously a balance needs to be struck).

I currently archive my photos on two HDDs that are only running once a week or so which. Both drives are backed and kept in a different location. For day to day purposes I use an SDD.

My biggest concern is the ongoing degradation ("digital decay") on the HDDs, rather than mechanical failure.

I continue reading that HDDs have a lifetime of 3-5 years. But my understanding is that digital decay is an ongoing process, so it makes little sense to me to speak of a lifetime in this context.

My questions:

I understand one way to mitigate digital decay is to rewrite the files on the HDD every so often (let's say once per year). Is this a viable strategy to keep my photos safe long-term and can you provide sources for your answer?

My second worry is data corruption that has already happened before I copy, I would just copy already corrupted data then. Are there ways to prevent this?

Thanks for your answer.

I feared the question violated some guidelines and would get downvoted. I was considering a downvote myself but remembered 'review' suggests the possibility of editing a question to make it meet guidelines. Then I decided to try that. meanwhile indeed downvotes were casted.

My final edit:

I am trying to find a long-term method of storing RAW photos. I'd like to keep it as simple as possible, while minimizing data loss (obviously a balance needs to be struck).

I currently archive my photos on two HDDs that are only running once a week or so which. Both drives are backed and kept in a different location. For day to day purposes I use an SDD.

My question

I understand one way to mitigate digital decay is to rewrite the files on the HDD every so often (let's say once per year). Is this a viable strategy to keep my photos safe long-term and can you provide sources for your answer?

Thanks for your answer.

My goals were, focus and try provoke fact based answers. In my humble opinion the edited question addresses what I deem the main worry of the original poster, is more to the point and less likely to provoke opinion based answers.

But in comments I read for example:

your edit entirely changes the question in a way which encourages wrong answers and hides the OP's goal

Trying to avoid discussion in comments, I am posting here. I personally feel I sufficiently maintained the central theme, but I can be wrong. Indeed I dropped a question to make the question meet guidelines.

So my question is, did I screw up?

Answer 1

I personally feel I sufficiently maintained the central theme, but I can be wrong. Indeed I dropped a question to make the question meet guidelines.

The last edit you made was definitely incomplete, since it fails to remove unnecessary statements (I.e “Thanks for your answer”) or the fact the author asked for sources (that is an implied requirement for quoting external sources).

I personally believe you didn’t address underlying problem with the question. I wouldn’t have approved your edits, if you didn’t already have the reputation, to perform edits with approval from the community.

Indeed I dropped a question to make the question meet guidelines.

You didn’t drop the other question that also doesn’t meet the community guidelines