Err did via do this via hardware

[The PIT]

http://www.theregister.co.uk/2004/09/15/via_hdd_padlock/

The 686b south bridge was very good at this I recall.

Would you trust Via to do this properly wouldn't

[Kurt]

Yep, it's a major feature of the C3 aka Eden aka C5x. Seems to work quite nicely. A shame they don't push the CPU speed a little.