http://ubuntuforums.org – I have tested it in windows on the same system and the esata hot plug works. In Ubuntu 9.10, the pcmcia card is detected as SATA_VIA, which it is, but on plugging the hard drive, the drive does not show as connected. Here is the lspci -v output for the controller: RAID bus controller: VIA Technologies, Inc. VT6421 IDE RAID Controller (rev 50) (Hardware)