> It's weird how the manual states 'hdd
replacement' for forgotten
> password,
> rather than just saying it needs to be reformatted. I assume that was
> just an
> error in IBM's terminology (and they really don't do something like
> screwing
> around with the drive firmware :)
And it is true.
Thinkpad has two levels of password - system password and hard disk
password. The system password is stored in an EEPROM inside the computer, I
have the programs to read and decode this password here. But the HDD
password is **impossible** to crack with ease, there are specialist
programs/hardware to decode them, but they are expensive as hell.
I have one of these 600e (pentium 233 MMX, et al). Good notebook, but
too much problems (passwords, battery recharging circuit, passive matrix
screen, et al) in just one notebook.