How to run smartctl test on disk

1. Install smartmontools

Ensure the smartmontools package is installed. This tool includes smartctl.

• On Debian/Ubuntu:

  sudo apt update
  sudo apt install smartmontools

• On RHEL/CentOS/AlmaLinux/Rocky:

  sudo yum install smartmontools

2. Identify the Disk

List your disks to find the target device name (e.g., /dev/sda):

lsblk

3. Check SMART Support

Verify if the disk supports SMART:

sudo smartctl -i /dev/sda

Look for the line:

SMART support is: Enabled

If it’s not enabled, you can enable it:

sudo smartctl -s on /dev/sda

4. Run a SMART Test

Run the desired SMART test depending on the situation:

• Short Test (Quick check, takes a few minutes):

  sudo smartctl -t short /dev/sda

• Long Test (Thorough check, can take hours):

  sudo smartctl -t long /dev/sda

• Conveyance Test (Detects damage during transport):

  sudo smartctl -t conveyance /dev/sda

5. Check Test Progress

While the test is running, check its status:

sudo smartctl -c /dev/sda

6. View Test Results

Once the test is complete, view the results:

sudo smartctl -a /dev/sda

Key Sections in Output:

• SMART overall-health self-assessment test result: Should indicate PASSED.
• Reallocated Sector Count: Should ideally be 0. High numbers indicate potential disk failure.
• Current Pending Sector Count: Any non-zero value suggests bad sectors.
• Errors in the SMART log: Review error counts.

7. Automate Monitoring (Optional)

You can schedule periodic SMART checks using cron or system monitoring tools.