> Indeed, this is the point. When that business is done with it you can buy it, know how well-used it is, and give it a second life

That is exactly what the dealers I referred to do.

The biggest thing HP seems to be adding here is a process for getting additional information that they control. Why should it need authorisation to read this information? The state of a piece of hardware should be openly and easily visible to its owner or possessor.