Volitans Software SMART Utility 1.1 Identifies Failing Drives

by , 4:45 PM EST, January 22nd, 2008

Volitans Software announced on Tuesday the immediate availability of SMART Utility 1.1, a significant update to the hard drive diagnostic scanning application. The new features include software update functionality, highlighting failing drives in the list and automatically expanding drive listings.

The SMART utility can access the information managed by hard disks that use the SMART alert system. "SMART Utility not only displays the individual attributes to see their status and information, but it also uses an internal algorithm based on those attributes to detect drives failing before SMART indicates it has failed. This pre-fail detection can save precious data before SMART has determined that the drive has failed. And, while the raw information can be viewed on the command line with smartmontools (which is what SMART Utility is based on), SMART Utility presents it in an easy to read format, as well as running its internal pre-fail algorithm," Volitans Software said.

The list of updates for version 1.1 is as follows:

• 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

SMART Utility 1.1 is priced at $20 for a 10 copy license.