---
title: "Start-VBRWindowsFileRestore"
description: "Starts Windows VM guest OS file restore session. Product Edition: Standard, Enterprise, Enterprise Plus, Veeam Universal License This cmdlet starts a restore session of Windows VM guest OS files."
canonical: "https://helpcenter.veeam.com/docs/vbr/powershell/start-vbrwindowsfilerestore.html"
breadcrumb: "Veeam PowerShell Reference > Veeam PowerShell Reference > Data Recovery > Guest OS File Recovery > Start-VBRWindowsFileRestore"
dateModified: "2026-08-19"
---

# Start-VBRWindowsFileRestore

## Short Description
Starts Windows VM guest OS file restore session.

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

## Syntax
```
Start-VBRWindowsFileRestore [-RestorePoint] <COib> [-Reason <String>] [[-Host] <CHost>]
 [[-ResourcePool] <CViResourcePoolItem>] [[-Folder] <CViFolderItem>] [-Credentials <CCredentials>]
 [-ShareCredentials <CCredentials>] [-MountHost <CHost>] [-ForceArchivedSnapshotsRestore] [<CommonParameters>]
```

## Detailed Description
This cmdlet starts a restore session of Windows VM guest OS files.

The cmdlet mounts disks of a machine from the backup or replica to the mount server. After that you can perform the following actions:

1. Run the [`Get-VBRWindowsGuestItem`](get-vbrwindowsguestitem.md) cmdlet to get details on the files and folders that are available for restore.
2. Run the [`Start-VBRWindowsGuestItemRestore`](start-vbrwindowsguestitemrestore.md) cmdlet to restore the necessary files and folders.

After you restore the necessary files, you must stop the restore session. After you stop the session, Veeam Backup & Replication will unmount disks from the mount server. Run the [`Stop-VBRWindowsFileRestore`](stop-vbrwindowsfilerestore.md) cmdlet to stop the restore session.

::: tip

To start a restore session for a CDP replica, use the [`Start-VBRCDPWindowsFileRestore`](start-vbrcdpwindowsfilerestore.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">Credentials</span></p>
        </td>
        <td>
          <p><strong>Note</strong>: This parameter is obsolete. Use the <code>ShareCredentials</code> parameter instead,</p><p>Specifies the credentials to authenticate with the backup share folder.</p><p>Accepts the <code>CCredentials</code> object. To create this object, run the  <a href="get-vbrcredentials.md"><code>Get-VBRCredentials</code></a> cmdlet.</p>
        </td>
        <td style="width:10%;">
          <p><code>CCredentials</code></p>
        </td>
        <td style="width:10%;">
          <p>False</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">Folder</span></p>
        </td>
        <td>
          <p>For restore from storage snapshots.</p><p>Specifies the folder where the temporary VM will be mounted.</p><p>If you do not specify this parameter, the cmdlet will use the default VM folder of the <code>Host</code>.</p><p>Accepts the <code>CViFolderItem</code> object. To create this object, run the <a href="find-vbrvientity.md"><code>Find-VBRViEntity</code></a>  cmdlet.</p>
        </td>
        <td style="width:10%;">
          <p><code>CViFolderItem</code></p>
        </td>
        <td style="width:10%;">
          <p>False</p>
        </td>
        <td style="width:10%;">
          <p>3</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">ForceArchivedSnapshotsRestore</span></p>
        </td>
        <td>
          <p>Defines that the cmdlet will use archive snapshots for restore without showing warnings in the PowerShell console.</p>
        </td>
        <td style="width:10%;">
          <p><code>SwitchParameter</code></p>
        </td>
        <td style="width:10%;">
          <p>False</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">Host</span></p>
        </td>
        <td>
          <p>For restore from storage snapshots.</p><p>Specifies the ESXi host to which the storage snapshot clone will be mounted as a temporary datastore. Veeam Backup & Replication registers a temporary VM on this host and attaches the source disks to it.</p><p><strong>Note</strong>: This parameter applies only when the storage snapshot is accessed using the Direct SAN access transport mode. For other transport modes, Veeam Backup & Replicationmounts the snapshot clone to the source storage.</p><p>Accepts the <code>CHost</code> object. To create this object, run the <a href="get-vbrserver.md"><code>Get-VBRServer</code></a> cmdlet.</p>
        </td>
        <td style="width:10%;">
          <p><code>CHost</code></p>
        </td>
        <td style="width:10%;">
          <p>False</p>
        </td>
        <td style="width:10%;">
          <p>1</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">MountHost</span></p>
        </td>
        <td>
          <p>Specifies the mount server to which machine disks will be mounted.</p>
        </td>
        <td style="width:10%;">
          <p><code>CHost</code></p>
        </td>
        <td style="width:10%;">
          <p>False</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">Reason</span></p>
        </td>
        <td>
          <p>Specifies the reason for starting a restore session of machine guest OS files.</p><p>The information you provide will be saved in the session history so that you can reference it later.</p>
        </td>
        <td style="width:10%;">
          <p><code>String</code></p>
        </td>
        <td style="width:10%;">
          <p>False</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">ResourcePool</span></p>
        </td>
        <td>
          <p>For restore from storage snapshots.</p><p>Specifies the resource pool where the temporary VM will be mounted.</p><p>If you do not specify this parameter, the cmdlet will use the default resource pool of the <code>Host</code>.</p><p>Accepts the <code>CViResourcePoolItem</code> object. To create this object, run the <a href="find-vbrvientity.md"><code>Find-VBRViEntity</code></a> cmdlet.</p>
        </td>
        <td style="width:10%;">
          <p><code>CViResourcePoolItem</code></p>
        </td>
        <td style="width:10%;">
          <p>False</p>
        </td>
        <td style="width:10%;">
          <p>2</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">RestorePoint</span></p>
        </td>
        <td>
          <p>Specifies a restore point to start a restore session. You will be able to use the session to perform operations with machine guest OS files.</p><p>Accepts the <code>COib</code> object. To create this object, run the <a href="get-vbrrestorepoint.md"><code>Get-VBRRestorePoint</code></a> cmdlet.</p>
        </td>
        <td style="width:10%;">
          <p><code>COib</code></p>
        </td>
        <td style="width:10%;">
          <p>True</p>
        </td>
        <td style="width:10%;">
          <p>0</p>
        </td>
        <td style="width:10%;">
          <p>True (ByPropertyName, ByValue)</p>
        </td>
      </tr>
      <tr style="vertical-align:top">
        <td>
          <p class="Table_Text_Bold"><span class="Table_Text_Bold">ShareCredentials</span></p>
        </td>
        <td>
          <p>Specifies the credentials that will be used to access the shared folder.</p><p>Accepts the <code>CCredentials</code> object. To create this object, run the <a href="get-vbrcredentials.md"><code>Get-VBRCredentials</code></a> cmdlet.</p>
        </td>
        <td style="width:10%;">
          <p><code>CCredentials</code></p>
        </td>
        <td style="width:10%;">
          <p>False</p>
        </td>
        <td style="width:10%;">
          <p>Named</p>
        </td>
        <td style="width:10%;">
          <p>False</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
The cmdlet returns the `FileRestore` object that contains settings of a restore session of Windows guest OS files.

## Examples

::: example
### Example 1. Starting Restore Session for Windows Guest OS Files

This example shows how to start a restore session for Windows guest OS files of the `WinSrv25` machine.

```
$backup = Get-VBRBackup -Name "WinSrv25"
$restorepoint = Get-VBRRestorePoint -Backup $backup -Name "Production VM"
$session = Start-VBRWindowsFileRestore -RestorePoint $restorepoint[1]
```

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` cmdlet. Set the `$restorepoint` variable as the `RestorePoint` parameter value. Save the result to the `$session` variable.

:::

::: example
### Example 2. Starting Restore Session for Windows Guest OS Files from Latest Restore Point [Using Pipeline]

This example shows how to start a restore session for Windows guest OS files of the `WinSrv25` machine. The cmdlet will use the latest restore point to start restore of Windows guest OS files.

```
Get-VBRBackup -Name "WinSrv25" | Get-VBRRestorePoint | Sort-Object -Property CreationTime -Descending | Select-Object -First 1 | Start-VBRWindowsFileRestore
```

Perform the following steps:

1. Run the [`Get-VBRBackup`](get-vbrbackup.md) cmdlet. Specify the `Name` parameter value.
2. Pipe the cmdlet output to the [`Get-VBRRestorePoint`](get-vbrrestorepoint.md) cmdlet.
3. Pipe the cmdlet output to the [`Sort-Object`](https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/powershell/module/microsoft.powershell.utility/sort-object?view=powershell-7) cmdlet. Set the `CreationTime` value for the `Property` parameter. Provide the `Descending` parameter.
4. Pipe the cmdlet output to the [`Select-Object`](https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/powershell/module/microsoft.powershell.utility/select-object?view=powershell-7) cmdlet. Set the `1` number as the `First` parameter value.
5. Pipe the cmdlet output to the `Start-VBRWindowsFileRestore` cmdlet.

:::

## Related Commands

- [`Get-VBRBackup`](get-vbrbackup.md)
- [`Get-VBRRestorePoint`](get-vbrrestorepoint.md)