Another errata item for you. This one we will fix in an automatic update, but if you are impatient and like to fiddle then you can do the fix yourself in advance.
Basically the issue is that when you plug in headphones and listen to something the webbook speakers don’t get turned off automatically. This kind of defeats the point of plugging in the headphones and is not commuter train friendly. 
The problem is that the sound driver works for all sorts of different laptops and desktops with all sorts of different speaker/microphone/headphone/SPDIF configurations. It takes a guess as to what layout it should be using, but sometimes gets it wrong. We need to give the driver module a hint by telling it what the layout is. To do this we add a file in the /etc/modprobe.d directory and with a line of text in it. This is a sensitive area so we have to be the superuser to mess with files in that area.
OK, lets get started. Log in to the webbook as normal (as the primary user if you have set up multiple users)
Press Alt+F2 to bring up the run program dialog, in there type in gksudo gedit /etc/modprobe.d/options-webbook-audio
this will ask for your password and launch gedit, which is like notepad, but better. Now type in the following line:
options snd_hda_intel model=lenovo-101e
yep, thats right, we tell the sound driver(snd_hda_intel) this is a Lenovo laptop (eeepc-701 also seems to work but I think we should stick to lenovo-101e) save and exit and restart the webbook (it might just start working straight away without a reboot – probably depends on what the card is doing at the time of the change)
and finally, let me know if it works.
When the automatic update happens we will update /etc/modprobe.d/options-webbook and you will have two copies of the “options snd_hda_intel model=lenovo-101e” line in your modprobe.d directory. This does not appear to cause any problems, however do please remember that you did this just in case one day the driver changes and we might for example set the model to “webbook”
Alan – it works fine. Thank you for the clear and precise instructions – this fix massively increases the usability of the webbook.
Works great. Thanks, Alan.
[...] to fix the video issue and as the audio is rather quiet I would recommend headphones and fixing the speakers issue. Free software is not just cheaper software. It is about Freedom as Stephen Fry explains with his [...]
Hello Alan, I have just bought a new Webbook, and following some of your fixes published on these pages. However, the sound fix as above does not appear to work with the machine that I picked up yesterday. I still get sound from the loudspeakers while the headphones are plugged in. Have double checked the entry as quoted, but still the same.
Regards………………Stan
Good Morning Alan, Pleased to report that for whatever reason that when I booted this morning, there seemed to be no problem, the loudspeakers switch off when headphones are plugged in. Sorry for any confusion caused.
Regards………………Stan
Hi Alan,
I fixed this problem early on, using your instructions with no problems, but is there a way to stop the boot and login/out sounds? I have the sound muted when I login, but if I switch the webbook on in the office the only way I can do it quietly is to plug in the headphones!
If the system is muted I’d like to be able to stop the startup and logout sound effects. The odd system beep or click to show input errors etc is useful, so I don’t want to kill them as well if it can be helped. Any thoughts?
Thanks again for putting this blog out here.
@Jim, Try System-Preferences-Sound then click on the sound tab, right at the bottom are the sounds for login and logout.
Hi,
For some odd reason the sound on my webbook has just stopped completely, dont know why, none of the settings appear to do anything, the speakers just crackle. Is this something hardware like that has caused this or some software issue. any help would be greatly appreciated!!!
cheers,
Matt
Hi Alan
Thanks got the fix to mute the volume when I insert the headphone plug, but somewhere along the way have fiddled around and although working fine through the speakers no sound through headphones! Down to user error I am afraid. Any tips on where I need to go to get working very much appreciated!
Really enjoying the Webbook and O/S. Graham
Thank you Alan, that worked wonderfully. I too had the problem of the sound coming from the speakers and headphones at the same time. As a ‘newbie’ to linux of two weeks, I found the instructions easy and simple to follow. What I would advise others to do to correct their little volume glitch, is to follow the instructions to the ‘t’. Make sure to spell check the command/instruction before hitting save and making sure that there are spaces where they should be. (they aren’t a ‘typo’) I now have 4,500 songs to listen to without disturbing others and a bl**dy good webbook/netbook too. (my absolute favourite gadget)
Kind regards,
Bahkti
Hi,
Worked for me.
The sound is a bit wimppy so now sounds good without disturbing anyone else.
hello,
very new at this, tried sevral times but no luck! is there anything else i can try
Thanks Mandy
@Mandy, tell me what happened, right now based on the information you have given me all I can suggest is you try again! Tell me what bit you are struggling with and I will try to help.
well i have done exactly what you have said, by Press Alt+F2 and type in options snd_hda_intel model=lenovo-101e and it didnt work, i dont think the update happend so tried it again!
im a bit of a blonde so please help
mandy
did you reboot afterwards? I don’t think hair colour matters much
Log in to the webbook as normal (as the primary user if you have set up multiple users)
Press Alt+F2 to bring up the run program dialog, in there type: gksudo gedit /etc/modprobe.d/options-webbook-audio
Enter your password
Type: options snd_hda_intel model=lenovo-101e
Click ‘Save’, then close gedit.
Reboot your webbook, and see if it has worked…
PS – unlike Alan, I believe hair colour does matter!
iv tried doing this and created the command more than once by mistake, cant delete the commands, if you can please help me thanks
iv worked out how to delete the commands, but i can only do it if im logged in as root, cant login as root from login screen, if sme1 can please help me on where i can login, thanks
not quite sure I follow, but there is not a root user in Ubuntu (at least not with a password) use sudo in front of the command you want to run as the superuser.
Is it me, or is the laptop rather… quiet? In Windows I had the realtek thing, where I was able to boost the volume. Do we have something like that for Ubuntu 9? Thanks,
Peter