Yes, that's how it works. I have used Lenovo warranty service a couple of times over the years and it is always explicitly stated that the replaced parts need

Yes, that's how it works. I have used Lenovo warranty service a couple of times over the years and it is always explicitly stated that the replaced parts need returning. It seems to me that the OP chose not to read the warranty terms, or communications he would have received, and chosen to ignore any information told via their phone support. Then, the OP either discarded the hard-drive or used it elsewhere, and now wishes to claim that the end of the world has occurred and that Lenovo are evil. Actually, every hardware supplier I know of requires the hardware back. It is extremely rare when someone doesn't (Amazon in the early days of Kindle spring to mind as the exception tends to stand out).