Hard disk drives and solid-state drives come with a tracking system called SMART (Self-Monitoring Analysis and Reporting Technology) that can identify and notify flaws that could cause a drive to malfunction. It can help avoid data loss by urging saving up and removing a drive before it breaks by issuing a notice when mistakes are first identified.

More than 80 characteristics of a hard drive are tracked by SMART, including its temperature, how long it takes to start up, and the quantity of read or write mistakes that have been noted. A cutoff number for each attribute is programmed into the SMART system by the hard drive maker so that the system can notify the user when an attribute deviates from its usual range. A SMART caution can show up during a computer's startup process (during POST) or as an alert from the running system.

A disk drive equipped with a SMART system has two self-test options: a brief Disk Self Test (DST) and a lengthy DST. When a computer starts, a brief DST is performed on each drive; the disk can be used during this time. Disk management software that is included with the operating system, the BIOS, or that is made available by the maker can complete a lengthy DST. Since it consumes a lot of resources, a drive cannot be used during a Long DST, but it is advisable to execute one occasionally to check on its condition.