Good article (I only skimmed it). I don't know how to find out if my kernel has gpt support, but an authoritative poster on the Linux Mint user forum says,

"All major distributions have included GPT support in their kernels for years now."

No, didn't try that.

Well (blush) I don't have a wins computer at the present time. The one I'm working with right now is the candidate to have windows installed AFTER the new System 76 with Ubuntu preinstalled arrive.

Yes, that sounds about right.

Thank you for the time and thought you have devoted to my little problem here.

I guess I'm either going to return the drive to the store, or wait until my System 76 arrives and try it with that, or after the System 76 arrives and the laptop is rebuilt as a Windows system, use the drive with that. Or give it away to a relative who uses windows.

Today's investigations have just about exceeded my limited tolerance for software engineering. (Past few jobs in the industry caused me to build up a severe auto immunity to software engineering.) You folks have more patience for this than I do.

Best wishes and thanks a lot.

Sky

It's difficult to tell without trying the drive with Windows but it almost sounds like it could be a faulty drive.
In which order are you plugging in the cables when connecting the drive and do you hear it spin up and make the tell-tale "being read" sound?

The drive has a power cable which is plugged in first. Then the USB cable on the drive end. Last, the USB cable into the computer.

Yes I hear it spin up and the sound of head movement, seemingly normal.

There are LEDs on the drive but they do not light. According to the documentation, they would be expected to light up ONLY if the provided software (for Windows or MAC) is in use.