HARD Drive with Windows 8 preinstalled crashed / How to Reinstall

[marjanani]

I did not make a recovery drive and now my windows 8 hard disk preinstalled , has crashed.
If I use a Windows 8 CD/USB from a friend and install on new internal hard disk , will it accept key from BIOS or do I really need to buy a new Windows OS.

 

[Someone Somewhere]

I know Windows 8 OEM discs (system builder) happily activate white box (HP etc.) keys from the BIOS.

Can't speak for retail copies.