What part of Windows 10 continuously scans all your files on your system?

I have thoroughly tested Avira Antivirus on Windows XP/Vista/7/8 operating systems and I know it is not scanning the system unless I tell it to in options.

I have switched off automatic updates on my Windows 10. The Windows 10 fresh install is from the same place everyone else got theirs but my machine is activated based on my being a Windows Insider.
As you know your activation is stored in the cloud permanently so my Windows 10 activated based on that.

Well what is scanning the Windows 10 system if

A. Avira is only set to do Real-Time Protection and *not* scan the system on its own, ever.
B. Windows 10 indexing is completely off.
C. Everything else as far as Windows 10 privacy is concerned has been manually turned off by me, I was pretty comprehensive about it.

There is not a single program installed on my Windows 10 that I don't have already installed on my Windows 8 and other OS on my multi-boot where nothing like this is going on...


So it has to be Windows 10, scanning my entire system somehow even though I turned off all Indexing (which is easy to confirm 100%). I also turned off all hard drive optimization settings.

I know Windows 10 is scanning my system because Avira intercepts it if false negative file is accessed or scanned by Windows 10. I contend that Windows 10 is systematically going over each and every file on the system periodically. Just trying to find out why. It could be indexing (but indexing is turned off). It could be optimization (but that is turned off too). So maybe there is a third legitimate reason?

I have never seen this problem, or at very least, it has never been visible. How do you know scanning is taking place?

Use the sysinternal program suite to know all the insides of the system. Process Explorer is right up your alley and gives way more information than what you see on a stock install.

Excellent question. Install antivirus like Avira that intercepts an infected file the moment Windows tries to access it, in any way.

Turn off Avira automatic scans so that scans are *only* manual.

Now if you place an infected file or a false positive file deeply hidden on one of your secondary storage hard drives.



Avira red/white intercept window will pop up once Windows 10 tries to access it / scan it. Question: What part of Windows 10 is doing that and why?
If the last part of your post helps explaining that, can you please post in more detail, how?

No idea what would be hitting the file, but you could watch file handles to see what is accessing it.

The .dll called .NSA.

Not sure why NSA would not be hitting all my other OS on the same systems?

thideras, so the moment I get an intercept, what would I do to accomplish that?


There is the thing of Windows Insider license I have for Windows 10.
When I build a new computer before July 2016, I will convert my Windows 8 retail into Windows 10 retail license and will see if this happens on that Windows 10 license too.