Here we are with our "superior" computer and digital data technology
in 2008 and we can't read magnetic tapes from the 1960s for those
old monster IBM machines without praying someone has one of those
antiques in working order and can still operate them. And this is with
all the resources available on this planet. Plus the old tapes are
deteriorating.

We should never assume that a future society, even one which can
explore and colonize other worlds, will also be able to analyze any
old data more complex than a printed book or engraving. Maybe they
will have such technology in future centuries on Mars when we will
hopefully have permanent colonies there, but maybe they won't - or
they won't care.

I can see early generations of colonists on these harsh worlds more
focused on survival than finding old probes with some information from
their ancestors. Unless people are radically changed in future years,
they will still be quite human in their attitudes and behavior. They
might even take the old landers apart for parts instead of preserving
them, just as Medieval Europeans scavenged ancient Roman ruins for
building materials.

Thank goodness the Sumerians and other ancient societies wrote on
clay tablets that hardened when they baked them. Also, you don't
need equipment worth thousands of dollars to open and read a book.
And how about those big old black discs called records - if you take a
needle, put them in a groove, and spin the LP, you can still hear what
is on them. Try that with a CD or DVD or BlueRay.

Who still has an 8-track tape player? Or a cassette player for that
matter? I am being somewhat rhetorical in my question here, but you
know what I am getting at.