Install smartctl on Ubuntu

6 August, 2007 at 5:59 pm by Phil Wiffen · Filed under Linux

To install smartctl (and smartd with it):

sudo apt-get install smartmontools

Why would you want SmartMonTools?

The smartmontools package contains two utility programs (smartctl and smartd) to control and monitor storage systems using the Self-Monitoring, Analysis and Reporting Technology System (S.M.A.R.T.) built into most modern ATA and SCSI hard disks. It is derived from the smartsuite package, and includes support for ATA/ATAPI-5 disks. It should run on any modern Linux system.

Ubuntu smartmontools page

Very handy; especially as the OS drive just died in the RAID5 box I’m now taking extra precautions!