Lenova HDD Password

[not important]

A good customer brought me her Lenova 3000 laptop. When powered on all I get is a request for a HDD Password. Her Granddaughter was playing with it a few days ago and now she can't boot it without a HDD Password. It will NOT get passed that request. It has a popup to bypass the message using the "Lenova something" (F11) but that doesn't affect anything either.
Can't get to Safe N Mode or Bios without the HDD Password.
I got this from the Lenova site:
{Note: Do not forget your hard disk password! Keep it in a safe place. If you forget your hard disk password, there is no way to reset your password or recover data in the hard disk drive. Neither an IBM authorized reseller nor IBM marketing representative can make the hard disk drive usable}
From what I have read, a new HDD is the only fix. I installed another HDD (not blank) into it but I get the same message. I removed the HDD and hooked it to a USB adapter but it never shows up.
Any ideas why it won't work using the different HDD?

[glc]

You are going to have to contact Lenovo support on this one.

[not important]

Got it under control now. Booted the laptop with no HDD (to get passed the HDD Password prompt) and I could get into Bios to reset the "power-on password" and the "supervisor" password. Now it will recognize the new HDD.
There is NO way around the HDD Password ......a new HDD has to be used.
I still don't know why the HDD won't show up when connecting it externally to my PC via a USB adapter.

[glc]

The password is probably in a scrambled boot sector or something.

[not important]

I connected the HDD externally one more time. It will show in Device manager but nowhere else.
I'll give them this, they know how to protect a HDD.

[rjfvillarosa]

A friend of mine told me about this software, I cannot vouch for it at all as I have never used it, try it at your own risk:

http://www.hdd-tools.com/products/rrs/

[not important]

That should work but it requires the HDD to be connected to a PC via IDE/SATA cable.
I don't have anything to connect a IDE Laptop drive to a PC. Also it's $50 per use and I can install a new HDD for that.
She doesn't have any data that is important so it's no big loss expect for the expense.
I do appreciate the link.

[glc]

Add one of these to your toolkit:

http://www.geeks.com/details.asp?invtid=HD-108&cat=HDD

[not important]

Thanks glc.....I'll get one of those.