Accessing Windows file metadata?

[EP]

I'm looking for a method by which to access Windows files metadata and
have not been able to find anything in the standard modules or via
Google - what is the standard approach?

Shamefully I really do not understand Windows file system - e.g. is
properties metadata attached to the file?    if I change that metadata
do I change the file's hash?  how is the metadata structured?  or is
the "properties" metadata simply derived upon access?

Either way, is there a module or method to access this metadata (I'd
hope there was a metadata dictionary for each file, but that may be a
sign I've been spoiled by Python) ?


EP