[nick952]

If port 2 works how everything should, then it's as simple as re-configuring port 1, it most likely just one pin state to change or reassign, Both ports have different pin assignments, so just a simple change of a pin would fix it

Not quite, the ESS's Port #1 pins 2-9 are fixed as Outputs, where as Ports #2 and #3 pins 2-9 can be configured as either Input or Output and I think Ports #2 and #3 revert to Input by default when the power is OFF and therfore possibly (probably) why I don't have the problem when using Port #2.

Nick.