Existing users, 
 SMART Utility - 1.1checks hard drives' internal diagnostics systems |
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Information Related to Version:
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Product Description:
SMART Utility is an application to scan the internal hardware diagnostics system of hard drives. SMART (Self-Monitoring Analysis and Reporting Technology) is a system built into hard drives by their manufacturers to report on various measurements (called attributes) of a hard drive's operation. The attributes can be used to detect when a hard drive is having mechanical or electrical problems, and can indicate when the hard drive is dying. This allows time to hopefully backup, and then replace the drive. Run this utility once a week or more to ensure your HD, and your data, are okay! NOTE: The demo runs for 30 days or 15 launches, whichever is laterSMART Utility is an application to scan the internal hardware diagnostics system of hard drives. SMART (Self-Monitoring Analysis and Reporting Technology) is a system built into hard drives by their manufacturers to report on various measurements (called attributes) of a hard drive's operation. The attributes can be used to detect when a hard drive is having mechanical or electrical problems, and can indicate when the hard drive is dying. This allows time to hopefully backup, and then replace the drive. Run this utility once a week or more to ensure your HD, and your data, are okay! NOTE: This is still a limited release. The full version will be out June 1, 2007.
What's new in this version:
- New icon (thanks to Jordan Langille of One Toad Design)
- Icon flag's color will now be set to worst drive found
- Added Software Update functionality using the Sparkle Framework
- Added "Check for Updates" in applications menu
- Added "Check for updates on startup" checkbox in preferences
- Added preference to automatically expand drive listings to show volumes, set by default to on
- Added "Show Log" and "Send Log to Developer" menu items to "Help" menu
- Added smartctl version and processor type to debug log
- Added GUI support for a new self test status bit
- Now scans and display lifetime minimum and maximum temperature readings, if available
- Failing drives now are highlighted in list
- Holding shift down at boot will temporary activate outputting debug messages, regardless of current preference
- Reordered preferences window
- Progress bars should now animate in more cases
- Fixed hang at "Updating SMART Information" on drives with a failure to read the error log
- Fixed bug where drive with disabled SMART would be reported as unsupported; now enables SMART if possible
- Fixed an error message relating to not finding the smartctl engine
- Fixed bug where lower case letters entered for serial numbers would not be accepted
- Updated eSellerate Engine to 3.6.5.52 providing better support for Leopard
- Updated smartctl engine to latest 5.38 CVS version, providing many updates and changes, including:
- added many more drives to database
- added names for attributes 187, 189, & 190
- improved interpretation for attribute 190 for WD disks
Operating System Requirements:
This product is designed to run on the following operating systems:
- Mac OS X 10.5 Intel
- Mac OS X 10.5 PPC
- Mac OS X 10.4 Intel
- Mac OS X 10.4 PPC
Additional Requirements:
- Mac OS X 10.4 or higher
- including 10.5
Screenshots:
Download Links:
Download SMART Utility Version 1.1 (File Size: 2.1M)
Download Links:
Download SMART Utility Current Version (File Size: 2.3M)
Your Installed Versions:
Feedback Summary:
| Version 1.1: | |||||
| Overall Rating: |   (2.7) |
Features: | (3.0) |
Support: | (3.0) |
| Ease of Use: | (5.0) |
Quality / Stability: | (2.7) |
Price: | (2.0) |
Key to Types of Feedback:
Reviews 
Troubleshooting 
Usage Tips 
Developer Notes 
Commentary 
Featured Reviews
''It fails me, it fails me not...'' - Version: 2.1.1, 12/1/2009 04:51AM PST
(1 of 1 users found this comment useful)
summerstormpictures
According to a white paper by Google... - Version: 2.1, 10/16/2009 11:14AM PST
(3 of 3 users found this comment useful)
Gennx30
covering 100,000 hard drives-praying for a sign, throwing salt over your shoulder, or visiting a psychic are nearly as reliable as using a SMART utility to predict HD failure;
Also, HEAT and USE do not seem to correlate between a drive failing and one that does not
There are certain parameters on a aggregate scale such as Googles server farms-where these utilities have SOME value-but for an individual consumer-the above suggestions are cheaper-and maybe as reliable
There may be some exceptions-probably based more on luck or coincidence
All in all even a free smart utility is no more than a 'feel good' device-like a rabbits foot
Considering to horror of data loss and the expense of recovery-the manufacturers should simply adjust the QC formula-'the acceptable rate of returns' down to 5% or less-this would not add appreciably to the cost-
as most reviews-of the best HDs i read show a 10% average failure rate-ive been researching into which BU HD might be the best for me- im seeing an UNACCEPTABLE failure rate-conisdering what you buy it for-one should not have to worry
To be safe, your computer and external HD should exist as redunant BUs-VERY unlikely both could fail at once-but I know im tempted to push all overflow stuff onto my BU-but the worry-should I buy a BU for the BU?
http://labs.google.com/papers/disk_failures.pdf
if someone has other data showing differently-please submit
Also, HEAT and USE do not seem to correlate between a drive failing and one that does not
There are certain parameters on a aggregate scale such as Googles server farms-where these utilities have SOME value-but for an individual consumer-the above suggestions are cheaper-and maybe as reliable
There may be some exceptions-probably based more on luck or coincidence
All in all even a free smart utility is no more than a 'feel good' device-like a rabbits foot
Considering to horror of data loss and the expense of recovery-the manufacturers should simply adjust the QC formula-'the acceptable rate of returns' down to 5% or less-this would not add appreciably to the cost-
as most reviews-of the best HDs i read show a 10% average failure rate-ive been researching into which BU HD might be the best for me- im seeing an UNACCEPTABLE failure rate-conisdering what you buy it for-one should not have to worry
To be safe, your computer and external HD should exist as redunant BUs-VERY unlikely both could fail at once-but I know im tempted to push all overflow stuff onto my BU-but the worry-should I buy a BU for the BU?
http://labs.google.com/papers/disk_failures.pdf
if someone has other data showing differently-please submit
Much Better - Version: 2.0.2, 6/9/2009 08:07PM PST
(1 of 1 users found this comment useful)
Phoenix DownUnder
Hi, this version appears to be much more stable but I am unable to test with multiple drives at the mo. I have removed and dumped one of my sata drives from this olde PPC Leopard machine
and wasn't planning to update it as it won't run Snow Leopard. BUT Smart Utility is stable with the one drive and the details are excellent. WDC 250Gb - 7100 hours and no errors!! To the designer, sorry I didn't come back to this entry - have just seen your replies. Also have been moving house!!
Will try and find a sata drive and see what happens. Alas it doesn't see USB connected WD (backup) drives. Demo period was only 1 restart long, can no longer start.
and wasn't planning to update it as it won't run Snow Leopard. BUT Smart Utility is stable with the one drive and the details are excellent. WDC 250Gb - 7100 hours and no errors!! To the designer, sorry I didn't come back to this entry - have just seen your replies. Also have been moving house!!
Will try and find a sata drive and see what happens. Alas it doesn't see USB connected WD (backup) drives. Demo period was only 1 restart long, can no longer start.
Why not use the free SMARTReporter which is FREE and sits in your menu bar? It's available here on VersionTracker.