Help with undetected eSATA drive

[CSMR]

New Dell Studio 1749 notebook, Core i3 processor, Windows 7 Pro.

Mode set to ACHI in BIOS. 2 internal drives detected in BIOS and working fine in Windows.
eSATA drive detected in BIOS, not in Windows.
"Intel Rapid Storage Technology" app says "empty port".
Windows Administrative Tools -> Disk managment doesn't detect drive.
Device Manager -> Scan for new hardware comes up with nothing.
Device Manager has no items with an (!) sign.
Device Manager -> IDE/ATAPI controllers has: "Intel(R) 5 Series 4 Port SATA AHCI Controller". I think this is correct.

Really grateful for suggestions! My work is stalled while I can't access my files. Very annoyed that in 2010 Windows Update does not automatically detect and install the right drivers.

 

[CSMR]

Actually the "Intel Rapid Storage Technology" app says:
Internal disk 477GB (fine!)
Internal system disk 76Gb (fine!)
Internal ATAPI device (optical drive: fine!)
Internal empty port 5

I thought the last was eSATA but maybe it really is internal and Dell has used something undisclosed for the eSATA (for no reason as the Intel chipset can accomodate 4 SATAs) and whatever it is is hidden from Windows 7 and non-existent on the Dell driver site. Is this possible?

 

[CSMR]

Bump

 

[corkyg]

I think it is possible. When an internal SATA port is simply connected to an external eSATA port, it is electronically still an internal port. In order for it to be truly eSATA, and support hot plugging, the eSATA port should be controlled as such.

I have a new Lenovo T510 notebook, and it features a combo eSATA/USB2 port. It is separately controlled from the internal SATA HDD and optical. Just a wag.