sudo smartctl -l selftest -d megaraid,N /dev/sda
It sounds like you’re encountering the classic smartctl error when trying to access a physical disk behind a Dell PERC (MegaRAID) controller. The message you're referencing is essentially telling you to use the correct device syntax: -d megaraid,N .
This will output a list of all accessible devices along with their recommended device type flags. If the scan detects your MegaRAID controller, it will suggest something like:
The error smartctl open device: /dev/sda failed: DELL or MegaRAID controller, please try adding -d megaraid,N is not a bug—it is a sign that you need to tell smartctl which physical drive behind the RAID controller to query. sudo smartctl -l selftest -d megaraid,N /dev/sda It
To bypass the virtual layer, you must tell smartctl which specific physical disk you want to inspect by providing its (represented as 1. Find the Physical Device ID (
smartctl open device: /dev/sda failed: DELL or MegaRAID controller, please try adding -d megaraid,N
An even simpler, tool‑free method is to examine /proc/scsi/scsi : If the scan detects your MegaRAID controller, it
If you get a No such device error, the disk numbering might not start at 0. In some scenarios:
smartctl -d megaraid,1 -H /dev/sdb
cat /proc/scsi/scsi
Look for the DID (Device ID) or EID:Slt (Enclosure:Slot) column. sudo megacli -PDList -aAll | grep "Device Id" Use code with caution. 2. Run smartctl with the MegaRAID Option
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