File Explorer Move shows comparison window, despite files having same Name, Date, Size. Does it mean the files have internal difference, or corrupted?

Question

Screenshot: File Move Operation.jpg attached.

I initiated Move operation within File Explorer, between two distinct folders. I have multiple identical files in them, hence this dialog box was expected. Windows policy is, if the files have same Name, Date and Size, then it will simply show the bottom checkbox like:

☑ skip the files with same date and size.

However in this unique instance, files that satisfy these conditions are still being shown here for comparison. Does it mean that the files have some differences other than the above 3 conditions? Or maybe the files are corrupted?

Someone with Windows expertise can please throw some light on the issue. Thanks.

EDIT: Hunting through the file Properties, comparing same files present between the two distinct folders, size(bytes), modified time, etc. everything from both files is same. I only noticed the below difference, when clicking Security > Advanced tab:

Screenshot different properties.jpg

File that was only on Windows (never handled by Linux) has the Resource Properties drop-down button, which has the following information IMAGELOAD: 1, this is not present in the file that was handled by Linux. Would wish someone to throw light on this, on what does it mean and does it affect file comparison.

Windows 10 21H1 (OS build 19043.1110), up-to-date.

Answer 1

Your dialog shows that the compared pairs have identical attributes as regarding date and data size (or one attribute would have been shown in bold).

This only means that the difference is in other attributes than the ones that are shown.

I can see two possibilities, both arising from having moved Windows files via Linux and losing these attributes:

1. Permissions : Moving files preserves their attributes, such as owner, but Linux does not preserve Windows permissions.

2. Data streams: Windows stores metadata in some files as alternate streams, which are not visible in Explorer, only visible via programs that access them specifically (for example Explorer).

If you wish to know more about alternate data streams:

• What Is File Streams And How to Make Good Use of Them?
• Microsoft's Streams.

Answer 2

If you have any doubt about a file's integrity, use the Windows CMD file-compare tool, fc, e.g.,

  fc <path\file1.ext> <path\file1.ext>

or, if you prefer a GUI, use a third-party tool such as free WinMerge.

If you don't have the original for that file, try a few tests with another, keeping the original file and copying it (or zipping it, which uses checksums to verify the file integrity, and move the copy as well as the original), then diffing the original and move version.

As @SeñorCMasMas states in a comment, likely the difference is an attribute that is not displayed in that dialog, such those listed below:

  R   Read-only file attribute.
  A   Archive file attribute.
  S   System file attribute.
  H   Hidden file attribute.
  O   Offline attribute.
  I   Not content indexed file attribute.
  X   No scrub file attribute.
  V   Integrity attribute.
  P   Pinned attribute.
  U   Unpinned attribute.
  B   SMR Blob attribute.  

N.B. Linux may not handle NTFS attributes exactly the way MS Windows does. For example, Windows has added information on frame width, [play] length, authors, etc., which are not necessarily journaled by Linux. Of course, by itself, Windows cannot even read the Linux extn file systems. See Doctorow's novella on incompatible (and unrepairable) products, Unauthorized Bread.