smartctl: Syntax, Options, Examples — by Sara Zivanov (phoenixNAP)

intermediatepageLink only (©)

Walkthrough of smartctl on Ubuntu: installing smartmontools, checking health, viewing attributes, and running short and long self-tests.

Quick steps

sudo apt install smartmontools
sudo smartctl -H /dev/sda
sudo smartctl -a /dev/sda
sudo smartctl -t short /dev/sda

Paraphrased from the source. Menus can differ by version, so check the original for full details.

Read the full article on phoenixnap.com

Source: smartctl: Syntax, Options, Examples by Sara Zivanov (phoenixNAP). Licence: Link only (©).

Source reviewed: 2026-11-02
Link checked: 2026-11-02
Tested hands-on: Not by Oddbyte.Me

smartctlsmartmontoolsdisk health

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