How can I compare the versions of two executables from the command line?

Sigcheck - Sysinternals Suite

sigcheck -a -q %windir%\system32\mstsc.exe

- if need add MD5, SHA1, PESHA1, SHA256

    sigcheck -a -q -h %windir%\system32\mstsc.exe

- test version, and run command:

    sigcheck -a -q %windir%\system32\mstsc.exe | find "Prod version:" | find "6.0.6001.18564" && Echo "RDP 6.0.6001.18564"

filever - Support tools:

Windows XP Service Pack 2 Support Tools or

Windows Server 2003 Service Pack 2 32-bit Support Tools

filever /V %windir%\system32\mstsc.exe

var 2:

• filever /V %windir%\system32\mstsc.exe | findstr "FileDesc Version"
  

• filever /V %windir%\system32\mstsc.exe | findstr "ProductVersion" | find "6.0.6001.18564" && Echo "RDP 6.0.6001.18564"
  

• filever /V %windir%\system32\mstsc.exe | findstr "ProductVersion" | find "6.0.6001.18564" || Echo "NOT 6.0.6001.18564"
  

wmic:

wmic datafile where "name='C:\\<windows dir>\\system32\\mstsc.exe'" get version

Powershell:

FileDescription:

powershell (gi %windir%\system32\mstsc.exe).versioninfo.FileDescription

version:

powershell (gi %windir%\system32\mstsc.exe).versioninfo ^|Ft -Au

script version compare:

$VerArr = [version]"8.2.6001.18564", [version]"6.0.6001.18564"
[version]$v1="8.2.6001.18564"
[version]$v2="6.0.6001.18564"
[version]$v3=(gi $env:windir\system32\mstsc.exe).versioninfo.ProductVersion
$v3
$v3 -ge $v1
$v3 -ge $v2
If ($VerArr -contains $v3)
   {
   echo 'Run version list block'
   }

output:

Major  Minor  Build  Revision
-----  -----  -----  --------
6      0      6001   18564
False
True
Run version list block

WSH:

cscript //Nologo vers01.vbs

vers01.vbs:

WScript.Echo CreateObject("Scripting.FileSystemObject").GetFileVersion(CreateObject("WScript.Shell").Environment("Process")("WINDIR") & "\system32\mstsc.exe")

JScript:

cscript //Nologo vers01.js

vers01.js:

WScript.Echo(new ActiveXObject("Scripting.FileSystemObject").GetFileVersion(new ActiveXObject("WScript.Shell").ExpandEnvironmentStrings("%windir%")+"//system32//mstsc.exe"));

python, pefile:

pefile modyle install: Unzip, run python setup.py install

import pefile, os

pe = pefile.PE(os.path.join(os.environ['WINDIR'],'system32\mstsc.exe'))
ProductVersion = pe.FileInfo[0].StringTable[0].entries['ProductVersion']
print ProductVersion

PHP:

php vers01.php

php.ini (%windir%):

extension_dir = C:\php\ext\

[COM_DOT_NET]
extension=php_com_dotnet.dll

vers01.php:

<?php
$path = getenv('SystemRoot').'\\system32\\mstsc.exe';
$fso = new COM("Scripting.FileSystemObject");
echo $fso->GetFileVersion($path);
?>

Perl:

Install Win32::File::VersionInfo module: cpan Win32::File::VersionInfo

use Win32::File::VersionInfo;

  $fn=$ENV{windir} . "\\system32\\mstsc.exe";
  $fl=GetFileVersionInfo($fn);
  if($fl){print $fl->{FileVersion},"\n";}

@STTR' answer is fine, except it does not provide a way to namely compare versions in batch, as this may be also the problem, for example, when comparing 10.0.10049 with 6.3.9600.

If you'll do it with plain IF %ver1% GTR %ver%, you'll get string comparison, and 6.3.9600 will appear bigger than 10.0.10049.

I know you've told it's not "write for me", but this is case when it's easier to write code than explain in plain English (and the code is self-explanatory).

From https://superuser.com/a/363308/131936 I've found how to read file version using wmic, which is shipped with bare windows.

compareVersion.cmd

(
SETLOCAL
ECHO Usage: %0 <file> [<MinVer>]
ECHO If second argument provided, returns error level 1 if version of file is less than required
ECHO Otherwise, sets %%filever%% variable to file version No.

rem https://superuser.com/a/363308/131936
SET "fileNameForWMIC=%~1"
)
SET fileNameForWMIC=%fileNameForWMIC:\=\\%
FOR /F "usebackq skip=1" %%I IN (`wmic datafile where Name^="%fileNameForWMIC%" get Version`) DO (
    SET filever=%%~I
    GOTO :break
)
:break
(
IF "%~2"=="" (
    ENDLOCAL
    SET "filever=%filever%"
    EXIT /B
)
FOR /F "delims=. tokens=1,2,3,4" %%I IN ("%filever%") DO (
    SET fileverSub1=%%I
    SET fileverSub2=%%J
    SET fileverSub3=%%K
    SET fileverSub4=%%L
)
FOR /F "delims=. tokens=1,2,3,4" %%I IN ("%~2") DO (
    SET chkSub1=%%I
    SET chkSub2=%%J
    SET chkSub3=%%K
    SET chkSub4=%%L
)
IF NOT DEFINED fileverSub2 SET fileverSub2=0
IF NOT DEFINED fileverSub3 SET fileverSub3=0
IF NOT DEFINED fileverSub4 SET fileverSub4=0
IF NOT DEFINED chkSub2 SET chkSub2=0
IF NOT DEFINED chkSub3 SET chkSub3=0
IF NOT DEFINED chkSub4 SET chkSub4=0
)
(
ENDLOCAL
IF %chkSub1% GTR %fileverSub1% EXIT /B 1
IF %chkSub2% GTR %fileverSub2% EXIT /B 1
IF %chkSub3% GTR %fileverSub3% EXIT /B 1
IF %chkSub4% GTR %fileverSub4% EXIT /B 1
EXIT /B 0
)

How to use this regarding you your question:

first, read one file version:

CALL compareVersion.cmd file1.exe
SET file1ver=%filever%

then compare it with other file(s):

CALL compareVersion.cmd file2.exe %file1ver%

IF ERRORLEVEL 1 (
    … do this when file2 is lower version than file1…
) ELSE (
    … do this when file2 is higher or equal to version of file1…
)

also, you can hardcode version, if you want:

CALL compareVersion.cmd file2.exe 1.2.3.4 || (ECHO Min required version 1.2.3.4 not provided & EXIT /B)

---

P.S. Here is my script to read/check windows version, built on similar principle.