What kind of pins does the motherboard use, is it the same as the UBS2 connector blocks? There's converters from/to the USB3 standard:
https://www.google.com/search?q=usb+2+to+3+co … iw=1920&bih=966

It appears to be a 10 pin connection on the motherboard- but with 2 pins missing:

* * * *
* * * *

pin 1 is top left, bottom left is pin 2 and so on. So pin 3 and 8 is missing. The case connector is smaller.

Thanks I will have a look at the link you posted.

MrBooble wrote on 2021-03-01, 10:45:

The case connector is smaller.

That's strange because the USB 3 connector is a 20-pin connector.

Sorry my mistake it’s a usb 2.0 connector, not usb 3.0, hence slightly smaller than the motherboard connector

The pins on the side of the USB2 connector can easily be taken out of the plastic housing and put into the correct place for your motherboard.

https://www.amazon.com/Duttek-2-pack-Motherbo … 14606456&sr=8-3

weedeewee wrote on 2021-03-01, 13:50:

The pins on the side of the USB2 connector can easily be taken out of the plastic housing and put into the correct place for your motherboard.

https://www.amazon.com/Duttek-2-pack-Motherbo … 14606456&sr=8-3

ahh thank you so I could strip out the individual connectors from the front USB panel cable within the case and connect as follows....

Pin 1 +5V on motherboard -> USB+5v on stripped connector (top left pin in diagram)
Pin 2 GND -> GND (left 4th pin down)
Pin 3 USB D2- -> LP- (left 2nd pin down)
No Pin 4
Pin 5 USB D2+ -> LP+ (left 3rd pin down)
Pin 6 USB D3+ ->LP+ (right 3rd pin down)
No Pin 7
Pin 8 USB D3- -> LP- (right 2nd down)
Pin 9 GND -> GND (right 4th pin down)
Pin 10 +5V -> USB5+ (top right pin in diagram).

I'm assuming this would then work and the front USB panel will be a compatible USB 1.0 interface?

I would put some heat shrink around the extracted connectors just to make sure they don't touch.

Oetker. No need for any heatshrink, unless it's one of those 10 pin connectors with the 10th pin sealed completely shut.

Just carefully take out the pins that are in the wrong place, and shove'm into the right place of the connector.

MrBooble, yes, you just lift up the tab that holds the metal part inside the plastic part, pull on the cable to take it out, et voila.
and if it is on of those that just has the bottom sealed like the one in the photo, just make a hole in the bottom plastic.

Oetker wrote on 2021-03-01, 14:47:

I would put some heat shrink around the extracted connectors just to make sure they don't touch.

Could I re-purpose an existing adaptor and place the cable into the right place (re purpose an adaptor as shown in the pic). I'd need 2 of them for each usb port. This method instead of direct attached / with heat shrink? can you buy those 5 pin female adaptors on their own?

weedeewee wrote on 2021-03-01, 14:51:

Oetker. No need for any heatshrink, unless it's one of those 10 pin connectors with the 10th pin sealed completely shut. […]
Show full quote

Oetker. No need for any heatshrink, unless it's one of those 10 pin connectors with the 10th pin sealed completely shut.

Just carefully take out the pins that are in the wrong place, and shove'm into the right place of the connector.

MrBooble, yes, you just lift up the tab that holds the metal part inside the plastic part, pull on the cable to take it out, et voila.
and if it is on of those that just has the bottom sealed like the one in the photo, just make a hole in the bottom plastic.

ah fantastic. yes I see, make hole where the 10th pin should be and insert. Yes that is a clean way of fixing the adaptor!

MrBooble wrote on 2021-03-01, 15:00:

weedeewee wrote on 2021-03-01, 14:51:

Oetker. No need for any heatshrink, unless it's one of those 10 pin connectors with the 10th pin sealed completely shut. […]
Show full quote

Oetker. No need for any heatshrink, unless it's one of those 10 pin connectors with the 10th pin sealed completely shut.

Just carefully take out the pins that are in the wrong place, and shove'm into the right place of the connector.

MrBooble, yes, you just lift up the tab that holds the metal part inside the plastic part, pull on the cable to take it out, et voila.
and if it is on of those that just has the bottom sealed like the one in the photo, just make a hole in the bottom plastic.

ah fantastic. yes I see, make hole where the 10th pin should be and insert. Yes that is a clean way of fixing the adaptor!

Ah ok, as I understood it the connector wouldn't fit your motherboard pins at all. Glad this'll work.

MrBooble, repurpose... yes offcource that's what I've been saying all along. you can also get a USB2 to USB3 cable, rewire the USB2 part of it, so you can use the USB3 ports on your case (linked in previous comment)
Oetker, when you have the connecter it's easy enough to re-use, and save some heatshrink for later 😁

thanks guys, you've been a great help and I've got some things to work on now 😀

Windows 98 SE seems to be running nice on my Athlon XP 2200 + with FX 5600 Ultra and SB Live Card. The FX cards weren't great but great for retro gaming given their DX9 compatibility / NGlide. Fixing the front USB up will be the icing on the cake. Thanks.