Would USB ports aging cause problems to data?

kenny2023 said:

Do I actually need a plastic protective cab to cover the USB ports when they are not used for a very long time?
I have a few USB cables that haven't been used for years and I find that the metal part of them is oxidized and some brown stuff appears, likely to be rust. Just wondering if data corruption or other kinds of errors is more likely to happen when data is transferred with such cables?

With the power OFF, clean the male and female USB connectors with Isopropyl Alcohol +90%
You can get it at any drug store.

I have an old joystick with a USB connector, that got oxidized after quite a few years.
Then it wouldn't register with Windows or games. Some Isopropyl... and back to perfect.

kenny2023 said:

Do I actually need a plastic protective cab to cover the USB ports when they are not used for a very long time?
I have a few USB cables that haven't been used for years and I find that the metal part of them is oxidized and some brown stuff appears, likely to be rust. Just wondering if data corruption or other kinds of errors is more likely to happen when data is transferred with such cables?

If you're witnessing rust on your devices you need to relocate them to a dry environment. Cure the cause, not the effect.

not just data issues rust like that could cause issues because there is power involved. The ports are grounded but there is lots of stuff on the back of the computer. I have seen a usb port spark out before.