Windows 10: Does Windows access files on its own?

Hello, I seem to have a question that I can't find an answer to. I was hoping that someone here might be able to help.

So recently I had downloaded and installed a program called "Anvil Studio." I remembered using this program a long time ago and was planning on using it again. I ran it through Hybrid Analysis and it would appear that the file was fine, so I installed it. However, I felt like something wasn't right shortly after installing it and within seconds I had uninstalled it.


Now I find that something appears to be accessing plenty of files and folders, even ones that I have not interacted with in quite a while and a frequently reoccurring pace too. Is this a normal thing that Windows just does on its own or could there be something malicious going on behind the scenes?

As an example, here's a screenshot showing the Program Files folder.



I should mention that I have yet to run a scan on the computer. Either way, should I be concerned or is this something that Windows 10 does?

Thank you.

:)

 

Windows 10 Tweaks

Pressing “Windows+Pause Break” (it’s up there next to scroll lock) opens the “System” Window.

Windows 10: In the new version of Windows, Explorer has a section called Quick Access. This includes your frequent folders and recent files. Explorer defaults to opening this page when you open a new window. If you’d rather open the usual This PC, with links to your drives and library folders, follow these steps:

• Open a new Explorer window.
• Click View in the ribbon.
• Click Options.
• Under General, next to “Open File Explorer to:” choose “This PC.”
• Click OK

credit to Lifehacker.

 

cannot access file/or permissions

also here is a guide
http://www.blogsdna.com/2159/how-to...sions-to-access-files-folder-in-windows-7.htm

 

Quick Access not searching Pictures folder

Summary, that last suggestion didn't work.

• I moved the pictures to another folder temporarily.

• Then I tried to remove the Pictures folder with option one at Add or Remove Folders from This PC in Windows 10 | Windows 10 Tutorials. Even after rebooting, the Pictures folder remained.
• So I tried using option two. Same thing: reboot >> Pictures folder still there.

• Since there were no troubleshooting steps for this scenario, just for the heck of it, I ran through the restore steps. Copied some pictures into the Pictures folder, ran a Quick Access search and initial problem remains: Searching all of QA doesn't find any files in Pictures folder, running search on just the Pictures folder does. I want to run a global search and find matching files in any/all of the Documents, Music, Videos, and Pictures folders.

That article dates from 2015 and I'm guessing is out of date. I hope it didn't create potential future problems in my registry.

Bottom line: I'm still looking for a fix.