Password protection

[wearetheborg]

The thread over in forum questions was locked, I had some questions.
I am not looking to get instructions to circumvent lost passwords or have a discussion on ethics, but more on what these passwords can and cannot do.

My questions are:
1.HDD password - is this for the OS only ? Suppose someone sets a HDD password, then can a different OS be installed on it ? Or is the HDD useless without the password ?
Is this the same thing as disk encryption (provided in linux) ?

2.Thinkpad system passowords. There are two kinds, and thinkpad hardware manual give instructions on how to reset one, and say the for the other one that the motherboard will have to be changed in case its lost. Is there an easier way for the second password ?
I'm just looking for Yes/No, no further info.

[Kyocera]

Yes, No, Yes, Yes, Not Really.


Encrypted info:

0100110 01001110010 1000011001 0001110 001111000110
01001100 0011100 1100001100 011010100010001 0010101