Updated Links dont remember they're updated

I have transferred a group of workbooks to my portable drive.

Upon opening the various workbooks I have redirected the lost links (from C: to E: ), Saved the file & closed.

Upon opening the file, again I am asked to redirected the lost links.
Have done so, then gone into Edit > Links, verified the new location, even selected UPDATE, Saved the file & closed.

I have gone so far as to close Excel, pull the portable stick form the USB port and reboot the computer!

Upon opening the workbooks, again I am asked to redirected the lost links.
I then tried CANCELLING through all the redirects. Checked Edit > Links, all the links are E:, the cells are complete, the formulas are calculating, because it knows where the source files are.

Although it knows where the source files are, every time I open the file(s), again I am asked to redirected the lost links.
I simply cannot get the workbook to realize it knows the links.

This is happening on more that one file.
I have (3-4) workbooks linked to (3) workbooks which are then linked to a master summary. The (3) workbooks in the middle cannot lock on the 3-4 lower workbooks

PS. there are lots of named ranges being drawn between workbooks, Also the file size of one of the (3) is 4,827KB, if that matters.