Hey everyone, I’m curious if anyone here has experience using Smartmontools on Mac? I’ve been looking into it as a way to monitor the health of my drives, but I’m not entirely sure how it works on macOS.
Specifically, how easy is it to install and use, and are there any particular quirks or issues to watch out for? Also, I’d love to know if it’s worth using compared to the tool Mac Smartctl. Any tips or insights would be really appreciated! Thanks in advance!
Smartmontools is an open-source software package designed for monitoring and managing the health of storage devices.
Initially developed for Linux, it has since been ported to other operating systems, including macOS. The primary purpose of Mac Smartmontools is to help users predict and prevent disk failures by providing access to a storage device’s Self-Monitoring, Analysis, and Reporting Technology (S.M.A.R.T.) data.
By using Mac Smartmontools, Mac users can gain valuable insights into the condition of their hard drives (HDDs) and solid-state drives (SSDs), enabling them to take proactive measures to safeguard their data.
Hello, if you want to install Smartmontools on Mac, you can open Terminal and run the following command:
- /bin/bash -c “$(curl -fsSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/Homebrew/install/HEAD/install.sh)”
- brew install smartmontools
- smartctl --version
Here I provide you the popular package manager for macOS Homebrew to install Mac Smartmontools.
Alternatively, if you prefer not to use Homebrew, you can download and compile Smartmontools from its source code. However, this method is more complex and is generally recommended for advanced users.
The differences between Smartmontools and Smartctl?
Oh, I dare you don’t know Smartctl is a part of Smartmontools. While Smartmontools is the overall package, it includes two main components: smartctl and smartd.
- Smartctl: This is the command-line utility within Smartmontools that allows users to interact directly with storage devices. It’s a powerful tool for on-demand diagnostics and detailed examination of your storage devices.
- Smartd: In contrast, smartd is a daemon that runs in the background, continuously monitoring the health of your drives. Smartd is ideal for users who want ongoing monitoring without needing to manually check their drives.
In summary, smartctl is used for manual, direct interaction with your storage devices, while smartd offers automated, continuous monitoring.
Smartmontools on Mac is a solid tool if you want to keep tabs on your drives’ health.
However, it’s not perfect. Some newer drives might not fully support it, and because it’s command-line based, it might be intimidating if you’re not comfortable with terminal commands.
Plus, running certain tests can put stress on older drives, so you have to be cautious. 