Checking the hard disk
Hard disks have a built-in health-check tool called SMART
(Self-Monitoring, Analysis, and Reporting Technology), which continually
checks the disk for potential problems. SMART also warns you if the disk
is about to fail, helping you avoid loss of important data.
Although SMART runs automatically, you can also check your disk’s
health by running the Disks application:
Check your disk’s health using the Disks application
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Open Disks from the Activities overview.
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Select the disk you want to check from the list of storage devices on
the left. Information and status of the disk will be shown.
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Click the menu button and select SMART Data & Self-Tests….
The Overall Assessment should say “Disk is OK”.
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See more information under SMART Attributes, or click the
Start Self-test button to run a self-test.
What if the disk isn’t healthy?
Even if the Overall Assessment indicates that the disk
isn’t healthy, there may be no cause for alarm. However, it’s better
to be prepared with a backup to prevent data
loss.
If the status says “Pre-fail”, the disk is still reasonably healthy but
signs of wear have been detected which mean it might fail in the near future.
If your hard disk (or computer) is a few years old, you are likely to see
this message on at least some of the health checks. You should
backup your important files regularly and check
the disk status periodically to see if it gets worse.
If it gets worse, you may wish to take the computer/hard disk to a
professional for further diagnosis or repair.