When I have everything connected and using the USB port on the ESP8266 (as well as power to the development board) EVERYTHING works perfect. If I disconnect the USB cable the SD Card reader doesn't work. I tested all the leads on the development board (power leads) to make sure the right power was there and it is.
If I put just a POWER USB cable on the board (cable connects to board and then connects to a power source) everything works fine.
SO there is some place on the development board that is not providing power to something on the ESP8266 or the Catalax Micro SD Adapter.
I believe it has something to do with HSPICLK, HSPIQ, HSPID, HSPICS
Because these lines control the SD Card reader.
I use the same ESP8266 chips and development boards for my AdafruitNeoPixel LED programs and everything works fine.
The LED programs are not using the HSP control lines.
I just don't know how to figure out what is wrong (anyone know how to measure power on the HSP lines) ?