front usb ports don't like external HDs? (old ocuk build)

[aardvark]

Hi guys,
my ocuk pc from a few years ago (3 years i think) is still going strong but i have noticed this problem.

The 2 front ports work fine for usb sticks and controllers etc, but they don't like any of the 2 external 2.5 inch external hard drives i have.
They never get recognised by the pc properly.
They work fine if i plug into the back or into the monitor usb port so i'm a bit confused.

Its not a massive deal as i plug them into the monitor (but i have to keep the monitor on obviously) and i've just bought a cable to permanently have plugged into the back to use for the hard drives, but i thought i'd ask in case there is a really obvious thing i'm missing?

 

[aardvark]

I don't know if the ports ever worked for hard drives, i don't think they have, but they work for everything else.
The ports are usb 3 and both the drives are usb 3 (1tb samsung and a 4tb seagate) - the lights come on but windows just continuously tries to recognise the drives, and never does.
They work in back ports, monitor ports fine.
i don't have other drives to try but they work fine on other pcs as well, so i think its something to do with the front ports.
Surely the drivers affect all usb ports and not just the front ones?

As i said, i now have a long cable plugged into the back so the drives work fine on that, but it would be nice to figure out why they both have trouble in the front ports as its a bit of a mystery.

 

[aardvark]

its a z97x-sli MB (gigabyte)
case is corsair 450D

ocuk built it so i'm assuming they did it properly.

I'll see if i can trace them, cheers