---
title: "Compare-VBRWindowsGuestItemsAttributes"
description: "Compares attributes of files and folders from a backup with attributes of original files and folders. Product Edition: Enterprise, Enterprise Plus, Veeam Universal License This cmdlet compares attributes of files and folders from a backup with attrib"
canonical: "https://helpcenter.veeam.com/docs/vbr/powershell/compare-vbrwindowsguestitemsattributes.html"
breadcrumb: "Veeam PowerShell Reference > Veeam PowerShell Reference > Data Recovery > Guest OS File Recovery > Compare-VBRWindowsGuestItemsAttributes"
dateModified: "2026-08-19"
---

# Compare-VBRWindowsGuestItemsAttributes

## Short Description
Compares attributes of files and folders from a backup with attributes of original files and folders.

**Product Edition**: Enterprise, Enterprise Plus, Veeam Universal License

## Syntax
```
Compare-VBRWindowsGuestItemsAttributes -FileRestore <FileRestore> -Item <VBRFLRFsItem> [<CommonParameters>]
```

## Detailed Description
This cmdlet compares attributes of files and folders from a backup with attributes of original files and folders.

When Veeam Backup & Replication compares files, it compares their attributes. When Veeam Backup & Replication compares folders, it compares folder attributes and file attributes inside the folder recursively. Once a file with changed attributes is found, Veeam Backup & Replication stops comparing files and marks the folder as changed. If you further browse the folder in the compared state, Veeam Backup & Replication continues comparing non-compared files and folders. Veeam Backup & Replication compares the following attributes: Date Created, Date Modified, Size (only for files), Read-Only, Hidden, Archive, NTFS Encryption.

::: note

Before comparing attributes, you must establish connection with the original machine using the [`Connect-VBRWindowsGuestProductionMachine`](connect-vbrwindowsguestproductionmachine.md) cmdlet.

:::

## Parameters

<table style="width:100%;" class="Blue_Table">
      <tr style="vertical-align:top">
        <th style="width:20%;">
          <p>Parameter</p>
        </th>
        <th style="width:20%;">
          <p>Description</p>
        </th>
        <th style="width:20%;">
          <p>Type</p>
        </th>
        <th style="width:10%;">
          <p>Required</p>
        </th>
        <th style="width:10%;">
          <p>Position</p>
        </th>
        <th style="width:10%;">
          <p>Accept Pipeline Input</p>
        </th>
      </tr>
      <tr style="vertical-align:top">
        <td>
          <p class="Table_Text_Bold"><span class="Table_Text_Bold">FileRestore</span></p>
        </td>
        <td>
          <p>Specifies a restore session of Microsoft Windows guest OS files. The cmdlet will use this session to restore guest OS files.</p><p><strong>Note</strong>: The restore session must be started within the current PowerShell session.</p><p>Accepts the <code>FileRestore</code> object. To create this object, run the <a href="start-vbrwindowsfilerestore.md"><code>Start-VBRWindowsFileRestore</code></a> cmdlet.</p>
        </td>
        <td style="width:10%;">
          <p><code>FileRestore</code></p>
        </td>
        <td style="width:10%;">
          <p>True</p>
        </td>
        <td style="width:10%;">
          <p>Named</p>
        </td>
        <td style="width:10%;">
          <p>False</p>
        </td>
      </tr>
      <tr style="vertical-align:top">
        <td>
          <p class="Table_Text_Bold"><span class="Table_Text_Bold">Item</span></p>
        </td>
        <td>
          <p>An array of files and folders whose attributes you want to compare.</p><p>Accepts the <code>VBRFLRFsItem</code>[] object. To create this object, run the <a href="get-vbrwindowsguestitem.md"><code>Get-VBRWindowsGuestItem</code></a> cmdlet.</p>
        </td>
        <td style="width:10%;">
          <p><code>VBRFLRFsItem</code></p>
        </td>
        <td style="width:10%;">
          <p>True</p>
        </td>
        <td style="width:10%;">
          <p>Named</p>
        </td>
        <td style="width:10%;">
          <p>True (ByPropertyName, ByValue)</p>
        </td>
      </tr>
    </table>

`<CommonParameters>`

This cmdlet supports Microsoft PowerShell common parameters. For more information on common parameters, see [ Microsoft Docs](https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/powershell/module/microsoft.powershell.core/about/about_commonparameters?view=powershell-7).

## Output Object
This cmdlet returns the `VBRWindowsGuestItemAttributesView` object that contains attributes of the compared files or folders.

## Examples

::: example
### Comparing Attributes of Files and Folders from Backup with Attributes of Original Files and Folders

This example shows how to compare attributes of files and folders.

```
$backup = Get-VBRBackup -Name "WinSrv25"
$restorepoint = Get-VBRRestorePoint -Backup $backup -Name "Production VM"
$session = Start-VBRWindowsFileRestore -RestorePoint $restorepoint[1]
Connect-VBRWindowsGuestProductionMachine -FileRestore $session
$file = Get-VBRWindowsGuestItem -FileRestore $session -Path "C:\Documents\Training\SummerTraining2020.pdf" 
Compare-VBRWindowsGuestItemsAttributes -FileRestore $session -Item $file
```

Perform the following steps:

1. Run the [`Get-VBRBackup`](get-vbrbackup.md) cmdlet. Specify the `Name` parameter value. Save the result to the `$backup` variable.
2. Run the [`Get-VBRRestorePoint`](get-vbrrestorepoint.md) cmdlet. Set the `$backup` variable as the `Backup` parameter value. Specify the `Name` parameter value. Save the result to the `$restorepoint` variable.

   The `Get-VBRRestorePoint` cmdlet will return an array of restore points. Mind the ordinal number of the necessary restore point (in our example, it is the second restore session in the array).

3. Run the [`Start-VBRWindowsFileRestore`](start-vbrwindowsfilerestore.md) cmdlet. Set the `$restorepoint` variable as the `RestorePoint` parameter value. Save the result to the `$session` variable.
4. Run the [`Connect-VBRWindowsGuestProductionMachine`](connect-vbrwindowsguestproductionmachine.md) cmdlet. Set the `$session` variable as the `FileRestore` parameter value.
5. Run the [`Get-VBRWindowsGuestItem`](get-vbrwindowsguestitem.md) cmdlet. Set the `$session` variable as the `FileRestore` parameter value. Specify the `Path` parameter. Save the result to the `$file` variable.
6. Run the `Compare-VBRWindowsGuestItemsAttributes` cmdlet. Set the `$session` variable as the `FileRestore` parameter value. Set the `$file` variable as the `Item` parameter value.

:::

## Related Commands

- [`Start-VBRWindowsFileRestore`](start-vbrwindowsfilerestore.md)
- [`Get-VBRWindowsGuestItem`](get-vbrwindowsguestitem.md)