PowerShell / SQL query to find a file?

[RodolfoGiovanninetti]

Using Veeam Backup & Replication, is it possible to use a script / query to find a file to restore?
I work in the IT department of my company.
Sometimes people ask me to restore a file.
But, they do not know neither the exact name nor when it was deleted.
I can understand their point of view.
Just for example, there is a file that is used at the end of each month, and only once per month.
My colleagues go to that folder and open the file, without looking at its "exact" name, just a double-click.
Now, they found out that the file has disappeared and is no longer there.
What was it exact name?
They do not remember.
When it was deleted?
They do not know, last month, when they used it, it was there, now it is there no longer.
So, I would like to know if it is possible to query the database through SQL or PowerShell to find filenames such as "*abc*" that contain some characters.
They are not sure even of the folder name: it was one of the sub-folder of "invoices", but which one?
Is it possible to look for these information with a script/query?
Starting from a partial name to look for folder and in which jobs it was included.
I searched in this forum and internet, but I was not able to find an answer, maybe I di not type the correct question.
Thank You and regards
Rodolfo Giovanninetti

[oleg.feoktistov]

Hi Rodolfo and Welcome to the Community Forums!

Tell me, please, which type of backup jobs you are speaking of?

Thanks!
Oleg

[RodolfoGiovanninetti]

I am talking about files that are/were on windows file server, that is a virtual machine inside vmware.

Thank You and regards

Rodolfo Giovanninetti

[PetrM]

Hi Rodolfo,

I think there is no table in our configuration database which contains information about guest OS files.
I'd suggest to take a look at this thread, there are some useful tips to get a list of guest files via file level restore.

Thanks!

[oleg.feoktistov]

Yep, Petr is right.
You would need to mount a restore point to query for guest os files.
Then, if the file name is unknown but you have at least a part of the name /what it is about or the location
the file was likely to had been maintained in, after mounting some backup you can construct a regular expression to help you look up:

Code: Select all

gci -Path 'C:\VeeamFLR\<ServerName>_id\Volume1' | ? -FilterScript {$_.name -match “*abc|def”}

[RodolfoGiovanninetti]

Thank You all, it seems that it is not possible to do what I wanted.
If I understand, to mount a restore point I need to choose a date.
For example, the backup that was done yesterday.
Then I can check to see if I find the file.
If not, I have to mount the backup of the day before yesterday, and search again.
But I do not know which date I have to use.
I hoped to be able to find all filenames in a table with different dates and look in there.

Thank You again and regards

Rodolfo Giovanninetti

[oleg.feoktistov]

Thank You all, it seems that it is not possible to do what I wanted.
If I understand, to mount a restore point I need to choose a date.

Correct. Backup server does keep guest file indexes in case you enabled indexing for a particular job,
but it only helps you search OS files in the Recovery Session UI of the mounted restore point.
Thanks!
Oleg