SmartMonTools: How to know if there is any smartctl test running on the hard disk

hard-disksmartsmartctl

I am testing a hard disk with SmartMonTools.

Hard disk status prior to the testings (only one short test performed days ago):

$ sudo smartctl -l selftest /dev/sda
smartctl 6.2 2013-07-26 r3841 [i686-linux-3.16.0-30-generic] (local build)
Copyright (C) 2002-13, Bruce Allen, Christian Franke, www.smartmontools.org

=== START OF READ SMART DATA SECTION ===
SMART Self-test log structure revision number 1
Num  Test_Description    Status                  Remaining  LifeTime(hours)  LBA_of_first_error
# 1  Short offline       Completed without error       00%      5167         -

So I start the long test:

$ sudo smartctl -t long /dev/sda
smartctl 6.2 2013-07-26 r3841 [i686-linux-3.16.0-30-generic] (local build)
Copyright (C) 2002-13, Bruce Allen, Christian Franke, www.smartmontools.org

=== START OF OFFLINE IMMEDIATE AND SELF-TEST SECTION ===
Sending command: "Execute SMART Extended self-test routine immediately in off-line mode".
Drive command "Execute SMART Extended self-test routine immediately in off-line mode" successful.
Testing has begun.
Please wait 130 minutes for test to complete.
Test will complete after Sat May  9 16:05:27 2015

Use smartctl -X to abort test.

The test is supposed to be running, then, but if I try to see its progress:

$ sudo smartctl -l selftest /dev/sda
smartctl 6.2 2013-07-26 r3841 [i686-linux-3.16.0-30-generic] (local build)
Copyright (C) 2002-13, Bruce Allen, Christian Franke, www.smartmontools.org

=== START OF READ SMART DATA SECTION ===
SMART Self-test log structure revision number 1
Num  Test_Description    Status                  Remaining  LifeTime(hours)  LBA_of_first_error
# 1  Short offline       Completed without error       00%      5167         -

… all I get is the same results, like if there were no running/performing tests right now.
The '-H' parameter gives no more info:

$ sudo smartctl -H /dev/sda
smartctl 6.2 2013-07-26 r3841 [i686-linux-3.16.0-30-generic] (local build)
Copyright (C) 2002-13, Bruce Allen, Christian Franke, www.smartmontools.org

=== START OF READ SMART DATA SECTION ===
SMART overall-health self-assessment test result: PASSED

And, as long as there is no process running (this test is performed by the hard disk controller alone), some ps -e style search should neither help.

How can I know if there is some SMART self test running right now?

Best Answer

In smartctl -a <device> look for Self-test execution status.

Example when no test is running:

Self-test execution status:      (   0) The previous self-test routine completed
                                        without error or no self-test has ever
                                        been run.

Example while a test is running:

Self-test execution status:      ( 249) Self-test routine in progress...
                                        90% of test remaining.

When running selective self-test (-t select) there will also be a progress shown here:

SMART Selective self-test log data structure revision number 1
 SPAN  MIN_LBA    MAX_LBA  CURRENT_TEST_STATUS
    1        0  125045423  Self_test_in_progress [90% left] (2881512-2947047)
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