
Nov 28, '03 10:31:00AM • Contributed by: kirkmc
% diskutil info disk0 | grep SMARTIf you only have one hard disk, it is generally disk0; if you have others, run:
% diskutil listto find their numbers. Someone with more time on their hands than I can probably roll this into a shell script that's run via a cron job, checking, say, once a day, which can alert users when the disk is about to fail. Since no one thinks of checking regularly, this info could be a real lifesaver.
[robg adds: This data is also available in the Disk Utility program, via the Info button in the toolbar. The command line version, though, enables you to easily check disks remotely. Most likely, all you'll see is a message that says "SMART Status: Verified" ... if you ever do not see that, though, that's when it's time to think about making a fresh backup!]