So I didn't expect to be posting this here but here I am. I had a brainstorm and thought I had a solution to it. Maybe I still do. I was planning to pick up a second computer to do the programming for the CNC Router on. Then it occurred to me that why not use my old laptop? So to give a little background info the CNC computer is a desktop with WinCNC on it and also VCarve Pro. IT has a USB hard drive it runs off of. So I thought I would remove the hard drive from the laptop and run off the extenal USB hard drive. It seemed like a good idea. However with the laptop hard drive removed and the external hd plugged in it won't recognize it. I go into the bios and deselect everything but the USB ports. Nothing! However it's not just the old laptop. My current laptop doesn't see it either. I can go into file explorer where you normally will show every type of storage including removable storage and it's not visible. Why? It works fine on the desktop that is attached to the CNC. So I know the hard drive isn't the problem. I can plug it into any of the USB ports on the desktop and it automatically accesses it. I don't even get a power light when plugged into either of the laptops. I'm puzzled to say the least.