Maybe OT, but: Which audio card are you using? E. g. mine does that via software/driver - I simplay can switch between 5.1 and headphones with 2 clicks.
1. Power outage -> yelling at local provider. Usually it's fixed (just happened this monday) in less than 10 minutes. 2. Not really, because there's no real need to. I'll get my pension anyway. ;) Of course I save some money extra - but only for extras, since the pension is 'bout 60 - 70 % of my act...