DiskCheckup is a simple tool that monitors the SMART attributes of your hard drives and reports on any problems, which could alert you to an impending drive failure.

SMART (Self-Monitoring Analysis and Reporting Technology) is a feature within many hard drives that monitors details like spin-up time, performance, read errors, temperature and more. If one or more of your drives supports SMART (not all do) then DiskCheckup will allow you to examine these figures at any time.

One off checks won't tell you much, of course, so DiskCheckup will also monitor how each attribute changes over time. And this long-term performance analysis may even allow the program to predict the date of the "Threshold Exceed Condition" (TEC), the point at which your drive may no longer be able to meet its specifications.

So does this mean an imminent drive crash? Not necessarily: SMART gives you a general indicator of problems, but can't be that precise. Still, if DiskCheckup is warning you about an old drive, then it's best to take the program seriously, ensure your data is fully backed up, and perhaps start thinking about purchasing an upgrade.

Please note, this program is free for personal use only. Business users should follow the Buy link to purchase a commercial licence.