How to show a specific category on main page

[loquela]

I currently have the following settings:

• Index Listing > Show New Product on Main Page (2)
• Index Listing > Show Featured Products on Main Page (3)
• Index Listing > Show New Product on Main Page - Categories with Sub Categories (2)
• Index Listing > Show Featured Product on Main Page - Categories with Sub Categories (3)

If I now do this:

Layout Settings > Main Page Opens With Category (0)

Index page centre column displays fine:

• Top level categories
• New Products
• Featured Products

But if I do this:

Layout Settings > Main Page Opens With Category (17)

All that is displayed are the category 17 contents, no New Products and no Featured Products.

I checked the tpl_index_categories.php that is called when you set a new default category in Layout Settings > Main Page Opens With Category, and the code for displaying Featured Products and New Products appears to be in tact:

 
<?php require($template->get_template_dir('tpl_modules_featured_products.php',DIR_WS_TEMPLATE, $current_page_base,'templates'). '/tpl_modules_featured_products.php'); ?>
<?php } ?>
<?php if ($show_display_category->fields['configuration_key'] == 'SHOW_PRODUCT_INFO_CATEGORY_SPECIALS_PRODUCTS') { ?>

<?php require($template->get_template_dir('tpl_modules_whats_new.php',DIR_WS_TEMPLATE, $current_page_base,'templates'). '/tpl_modules_whats_new.php'); ?>
<?php } ?>
<?php if ($show_display_category->fields['configuration_key'] == 'SHOW_PRODUCT_INFO_CATEGORY_UPCOMING') { ?>

Can anybody explain why Featured Products and New Products are not displaying in tpl.index_categories.php??