My Device Manager sees no PORTs change whether or not the USB is plugged in.

I do not trust the StickOS .hex file that I have. My browser would not download it per a usual (say .pdf) file. The browser insisted on displaying it as if it were html text. I could try ftp, but I am sure StickOS would ask for a username and password. All I know for sure is that the little blue POWER LED comes on when I click on the power tab in PICkit2. Other than that all is dead.

Gotta go to bed. Tomorrow progress. Sorry about all this. I am just not getting started.

Ken