CMake Configuration Error: various errors involving files failing to open when trying to configure

Question

I am a student in University.

I currently do not have access to the wonderful Ubuntu machines my University normally provides for CS students. As such, I've had to set up a C/C++ coding environment on my Windows 10 laptop. After much trial and error, I was able to set up the following configuration:

• IDE: Visual Studio Code (with C/C++ extension)
• Compiler: MinGW (GCC)
• Build System: CMake

Everything was working fine until about two hours ago. At some point, the compiler CMake was using to compile my code switched over to MSVC instead of GCC which I had originally set it to. I ran the CMake configuration command from the Visual Studio Code command palette and set the Compiler back to GCC. Now I am getting all sorts of CMake errors when I try to run the CMake configuration command. If I try and create a new Hello World project with a very basic CMakeLists.txt file, I get the same error messages.

Here are the errors:

[main] Configuring folder: Test 
[proc] Executing command: "C:\Program Files\CMake\bin\cmake.EXE" --no-warn-unused-cli -DCMAKE_EXPORT_COMPILE_COMMANDS:BOOL=TRUE -DCMAKE_BUILD_TYPE:STRING=Debug -DCMAKE_C_COMPILER:FILEPATH=C:\MinGW\bin\gcc.exe -DCMAKE_CXX_COMPILER:FILEPATH=C:\MinGW\bin\g++.exe -Hc:/Users/jwhen/Desktop/Test -Bc:/Users/jwhen/Desktop/Test/build -G "MinGW Makefiles"
[cmake] Not searching for unused variables given on the command line.
[cmake] CMake Error at C:/Program Files/CMake/share/cmake-3.17/Modules/CMakeDetermineCompilerId.cmake:677 (file):
[cmake]   file STRINGS file
[cmake]   "C:/Users/jwhen/Desktop/Test/build/CMakeFiles/3.17.0/CompilerIdC/a.exe"
[cmake]   cannot be read.
[cmake] Call Stack (most recent call first):
[cmake]   C:/Program Files/CMake/share/cmake-3.17/Modules/CMakeDetermineCompilerId.cmake:38 (CMAKE_DETERMINE_COMPILER_ID_CHECK)
[cmake]   C:/Program Files/CMake/share/cmake-3.17/Modules/CMakeDetermineCCompiler.cmake:116 (CMAKE_DETERMINE_COMPILER_ID)
[cmake]   CMakeLists.txt:3 (project)
[cmake] 
[cmake] 
[cmake] CMake Error at C:/Program Files/CMake/share/cmake-3.17/Modules/CMakeDetermineCompilerId.cmake:761 (file):
[cmake]   file failed to open for reading (Permission denied):
[cmake] 
[cmake]     C:/Users/jwhen/Desktop/Test/build/CMakeFiles/3.17.0/CompilerIdC/a.exe
[cmake] Call Stack (most recent call first):
[cmake]   C:/Program Files/CMake/share/cmake-3.17/Modules/CMakeDetermineCompilerId.cmake:38 (CMAKE_DETERMINE_COMPILER_ID_CHECK)
[cmake]   C:/Program Files/CMake/share/cmake-3.17/Modules/CMakeDetermineCCompiler.cmake:116 (CMAKE_DETERMINE_COMPILER_ID)
[cmake]   CMakeLists.txt:3 (project)
[cmake] 
[cmake] 
[cmake] CMake Error at C:/Program Files/CMake/share/cmake-3.17/Modules/CMakeDetermineCompilerId.cmake:764 (string):
[cmake]   string begin index: 1 is out of range 0 - 0
[cmake] Call Stack (most recent call first):
[cmake]   C:/Program Files/CMake/share/cmake-3.17/Modules/CMakeDetermineCompilerId.cmake:38 (CMAKE_DETERMINE_COMPILER_ID_CHECK)
[cmake]   C:/Program Files/CMake/share/cmake-3.17/Modules/CMakeDetermineCCompiler.cmake:116 (CMAKE_DETERMINE_COMPILER_ID)
[cmake]   CMakeLists.txt:3 (project)
[cmake] 
[cmake] 
[cmake] CMake Error at C:/Program Files/CMake/share/cmake-3.17/Modules/CMakeDetermineCompilerId.cmake:772 (math):
[cmake]   math cannot parse the expression: " * 16 + ": syntax error, unexpected
[cmake]   exp_TIMES (2).
[cmake] Call Stack (most recent call first):
[cmake]   C:/Program Files/CMake/share/cmake-3.17/Modules/CMakeDetermineCompilerId.cmake:38 (CMAKE_DETERMINE_COMPILER_ID_CHECK)
[cmake]   C:/Program Files/CMake/share/cmake-3.17/Modules/CMakeDetermineCCompiler.cmake:116 (CMAKE_DETERMINE_COMPILER_ID)
[cmake]   CMakeLists.txt:3 (project)
[cmake] 
[cmake] 
[cmake] CMake Error at C:/Program Files/CMake/share/cmake-3.17/Modules/CMakeDetermineCompilerId.cmake:774 (file):
[cmake]   file failed to open for reading (Permission denied):
[cmake] 
[cmake]     C:/Users/jwhen/Desktop/Test/build/CMakeFiles/3.17.0/CompilerIdC/a.exe
[cmake] Call Stack (most recent call first):
[cmake]   C:/Program Files/CMake/share/cmake-3.17/Modules/CMakeDetermineCompilerId.cmake:38 (CMAKE_DETERMINE_COMPILER_ID_CHECK)
[cmake]   C:/Program Files/CMake/share/cmake-3.17/Modules/CMakeDetermineCCompiler.cmake:116 (CMAKE_DETERMINE_COMPILER_ID)
[cmake]   CMakeLists.txt:3 (project)
[cmake] 
[cmake] 
[cmake] CMake Error at C:/Program Files/CMake/share/cmake-3.17/Modules/CMakeDetermineCompilerId.cmake:815 (file):
[cmake]   file failed to open for reading (Permission denied):
[cmake] 
[cmake]     C:/Users/jwhen/Desktop/Test/build/CMakeFiles/3.17.0/CompilerIdC/a.exe
[cmake] Call Stack (most recent call first):
[cmake]   C:/Program Files/CMake/share/cmake-3.17/Modules/CMakeDetermineCompilerId.cmake:38 (CMAKE_DETERMINE_COMPILER_ID_CHECK)
[cmake]   C:/Program Files/CMake/share/cmake-3.17/Modules/CMakeDetermineCCompiler.cmake:116 (CMAKE_DETERMINE_COMPILER_ID)
[cmake]   CMakeLists.txt:3 (project)
[cmake] 
[cmake] 
[cmake] -- The C compiler identification is GNU 8.2.0
[cmake] CMake Error at C:/Program Files/CMake/share/cmake-3.17/Modules/CMakeDetermineCompilerId.cmake:677 (file):
[cmake]   file STRINGS file
[cmake]   "C:/Users/jwhen/Desktop/Test/build/CMakeFiles/3.17.0/CompilerIdCXX/a.exe"
[cmake]   cannot be read.
[cmake] Call Stack (most recent call first):
[cmake]   C:/Program Files/CMake/share/cmake-3.17/Modules/CMakeDetermineCompilerId.cmake:38 (CMAKE_DETERMINE_COMPILER_ID_CHECK)
[cmake]   C:/Program Files/CMake/share/cmake-3.17/Modules/CMakeDetermineCXXCompiler.cmake:111 (CMAKE_DETERMINE_COMPILER_ID)
[cmake]   CMakeLists.txt:3 (project)
[cmake] 
[cmake] 
[cmake] CMake Error at C:/Program Files/CMake/share/cmake-3.17/Modules/CMakeDetermineCompilerId.cmake:761 (file):
[cmake]   file failed to open for reading (Permission denied):
[cmake] 
[cmake]     C:/Users/jwhen/Desktop/Test/build/CMakeFiles/3.17.0/CompilerIdCXX/a.exe
[cmake] Call Stack (most recent call first):
[cmake]   C:/Program Files/CMake/share/cmake-3.17/Modules/CMakeDetermineCompilerId.cmake:38 (CMAKE_DETERMINE_COMPILER_ID_CHECK)
[cmake]   C:/Program Files/CMake/share/cmake-3.17/Modules/CMakeDetermineCXXCompiler.cmake:111 (CMAKE_DETERMINE_COMPILER_ID)
[cmake]   CMakeLists.txt:3 (project)
[cmake] 
[cmake] 
[cmake] CMake Error at C:/Program Files/CMake/share/cmake-3.17/Modules/CMakeDetermineCompilerId.cmake:764 (string):
[cmake]   string begin index: 1 is out of range 0 - 0
[cmake] Call Stack (most recent call first):
[cmake]   C:/Program Files/CMake/share/cmake-3.17/Modules/CMakeDetermineCompilerId.cmake:38 (CMAKE_DETERMINE_COMPILER_ID_CHECK)
[cmake]   C:/Program Files/CMake/share/cmake-3.17/Modules/CMakeDetermineCXXCompiler.cmake:111 (CMAKE_DETERMINE_COMPILER_ID)
[cmake]   CMakeLists.txt:3 (project)
[cmake] 
[cmake] 
[cmake] CMake Error at C:/Program Files/CMake/share/cmake-3.17/Modules/CMakeDetermineCompilerId.cmake:772 (math):
[cmake]   math cannot parse the expression: " * 16 + ": syntax error, unexpected
[cmake]   exp_TIMES (2).
[cmake] Call Stack (most recent call first):
[cmake]   C:/Program Files/CMake/share/cmake-3.17/Modules/CMakeDetermineCompilerId.cmake:38 (CMAKE_DETERMINE_COMPILER_ID_CHECK)
[cmake]   C:/Program Files/CMake/share/cmake-3.17/Modules/CMakeDetermineCXXCompiler.cmake:111 (CMAKE_DETERMINE_COMPILER_ID)
[cmake]   CMakeLists.txt:3 (project)
[cmake] 
[cmake] 
[cmake] CMake Error at C:/Program Files/CMake/share/cmake-3.17/Modules/CMakeDetermineCompilerId.cmake:774 (file):
[cmake]   file failed to open for reading (Permission denied):
[cmake] 
[cmake]     C:/Users/jwhen/Desktop/Test/build/CMakeFiles/3.17.0/CompilerIdCXX/a.exe
[cmake] Call Stack (most recent call first):
[cmake]   C:/Program Files/CMake/share/cmake-3.17/Modules/CMakeDetermineCompilerId.cmake:38 (CMAKE_DETERMINE_COMPILER_ID_CHECK)
[cmake]   C:/Program Files/CMake/share/cmake-3.17/Modules/CMakeDetermineCXXCompiler.cmake:111 (CMAKE_DETERMINE_COMPILER_ID)
[cmake]   CMakeLists.txt:3 (project)
[cmake] 
[cmake] 
[cmake] -- The CXX compiler identification is GNU 8.2.0
[cmake] -- Check for working C compiler: C:/MinGW/bin/gcc.exe
[cmake] -- Check for working C compiler: C:/MinGW/bin/gcc.exe - works
[cmake] -- Detecting C compiler ABI info
[cmake] -- Detecting C compiler ABI info - failed
[cmake] -- Detecting C compile features
[cmake] -- Detecting C compile features - done
[cmake] -- Check for working CXX compiler: C:/MinGW/bin/g++.exe
[cmake] -- Check for working CXX compiler: C:/MinGW/bin/g++.exe - works
[cmake] -- Detecting CXX compiler ABI info
[cmake] -- Detecting CXX compiler ABI info - failed
[cmake] -- Detecting CXX compile features
[cmake] -- Detecting CXX compile features - done
[cmake] -- Configuring incomplete, errors occurred!
[cmake] See also "C:/Users/jwhen/Desktop/Test/build/CMakeFiles/CMakeOutput.log".
[cmake] See also "C:/Users/jwhen/Desktop/Test/build/CMakeFiles/CMakeError.log".

The only thing I can think of is that around the time the first crash occurred, I noticed Norton being particularly active and popping up whenever I tried to run a CMake command. Could Norton somehow be blocking me?

Edit

It is almost certainly Norton. The configuration works fine if I try and run it while Norton is running a full system scan. If I pause the scan, the configuration fails. If I resume, it works fine. How can I prevent Norton from blocking access to certain files?