getting rid of the darn lock

i am in the process of devising a method to remove the dreaded lock

I am considering doing a fresh format thereby restoring the the original system to its factory defaults.

any tips/hints are appreciated.

Yes, a lock can be a terrible nuisance sometimes; your efforts are to be commended.

I once found on the web that someone had done just what you are contemplating by ‘de-soldering all the memory chips’ and reprogramming them externally, then after leaving them out all night so that all residual charge could drain away , re-soldered them back in and after power on, all the original factory settings were all there.

Simple when you think about it.