Solved Windows 8 laptop HDD dead? Pondering resurrection options

Thanks. If hypothetically, I did find a US English version (en-US), would that be okay, considering I live in the UK? Or would I need the en-UK version?

You probably don't have direct experience to say for sure, but you can go by your experience with the non-Bing versions and if it's possible to install a US version in the UK or vice versa.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Microsoft Windows 8.1 64-bit Microsoft Windows 8.1 64-bit 9600 Multiprocessor Free
    Computer type
    Laptop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    GenuineIntel (ProcessorID=BFEBFBFF00030678)
    CPU
    Intel(R) Celeron(R) CPU N2840 @ 2.16GHz
    Motherboard
    Acer, Base Board, Aspire ES1-512, V1.07
    Memory
    4.00 GB - Samsung, SODIMM
    Graphics Card(s)
    Microsoft Basic Display Adapter (Device ID = VideoController1)
    Sound Card
    Microsoft - High Definition Audio Device
    Monitor(s) Displays
    Laptop screen
    Screen Resolution
    1366 x 768 x 32 bits (4294967296 colors) @ 1 Hz
    Hard Drives
    Crucial_CT512M550SSD1, 476.94 GB, 3 partitions
    PSU
    -
    Case
    -
    Cooling
    -
    Keyboard
    -
    Mouse
    Microsoft wireless mouse
    Internet Speed
    Fiber
    Browser
    Chrome
    Antivirus
    No
    Other Info
    Language: English (United Kingdom) - English (United Kingdom)
    BIOS: Insyde Corp. V1.07
Yes, many folks install the US version in the UK. I don't believe this affects the install key.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 10 Pro X64
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    Lenovo IdeaCenter K450
    CPU
    Intel Quad Core i7-4770 @ 3.4Ghz
    Motherboard
    Lenovo
    Memory
    16.0GB PC3-12800 DDR3 SDRAM 1600 MHz
    Graphics Card(s)
    Intel Integrated HD Graphics
    Sound Card
    Realtek HD Audio
    Monitor(s) Displays
    HP h2207
    Screen Resolution
    1680x1050@59Hz
    Hard Drives
    250GB Samsung EVO SATA-3 SSD;
    2TB Seagate ST2000DM001 SATA-2;
    1.5TB Seagate ST3150041AS SATA
    PSU
    500W
    Keyboard
    Wired USB
    Mouse
    Wired USB
    Internet Speed
    3GB Up, 30GB Down
    Browser
    SeaMonkey
    Antivirus
    Windows Defender; MBAM Pro
    Other Info
    UEFI/GPT
    PLDS DVD-RW DH16AERSH
Wow it worked. Thank you muchly!! The pain is now starting to evaporate.

I'll award a bounty within 24 hours to the Superuser answer which linked to the site (mydigitallife.info) which has the required installation media. I won't link here, but it's not hard to find. I installed the Windows with Bing 8.1 64 bit English OEM version (3.71 GB, 'en-US'). The checksum is SHA1: BDC1E5FDBC1FAD5FE26155BAB6DAB7D95F434DEA according to the mydigitallife site.

The Bing edition is supposed to be very rare, but my laptop is just the latest mass-market budget Acer laptop, so it can't be that rare. I have but one more question: How did you know I had the Bing version? The answer to that question could have saved me countless hours of time if I knew originally.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Microsoft Windows 8.1 64-bit Microsoft Windows 8.1 64-bit 9600 Multiprocessor Free
    Computer type
    Laptop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    GenuineIntel (ProcessorID=BFEBFBFF00030678)
    CPU
    Intel(R) Celeron(R) CPU N2840 @ 2.16GHz
    Motherboard
    Acer, Base Board, Aspire ES1-512, V1.07
    Memory
    4.00 GB - Samsung, SODIMM
    Graphics Card(s)
    Microsoft Basic Display Adapter (Device ID = VideoController1)
    Sound Card
    Microsoft - High Definition Audio Device
    Monitor(s) Displays
    Laptop screen
    Screen Resolution
    1366 x 768 x 32 bits (4294967296 colors) @ 1 Hz
    Hard Drives
    Crucial_CT512M550SSD1, 476.94 GB, 3 partitions
    PSU
    -
    Case
    -
    Cooling
    -
    Keyboard
    -
    Mouse
    Microsoft wireless mouse
    Internet Speed
    Fiber
    Browser
    Chrome
    Antivirus
    No
    Other Info
    Language: English (United Kingdom) - English (United Kingdom)
    BIOS: Insyde Corp. V1.07
I covered that in post #16: http://www.eightforums.com/general-...surrection-options-post511951.html#post511951

81bing.jpg
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 10 Pro X64
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    Lenovo IdeaCenter K450
    CPU
    Intel Quad Core i7-4770 @ 3.4Ghz
    Motherboard
    Lenovo
    Memory
    16.0GB PC3-12800 DDR3 SDRAM 1600 MHz
    Graphics Card(s)
    Intel Integrated HD Graphics
    Sound Card
    Realtek HD Audio
    Monitor(s) Displays
    HP h2207
    Screen Resolution
    1680x1050@59Hz
    Hard Drives
    250GB Samsung EVO SATA-3 SSD;
    2TB Seagate ST2000DM001 SATA-2;
    1.5TB Seagate ST3150041AS SATA
    PSU
    500W
    Keyboard
    Wired USB
    Mouse
    Wired USB
    Internet Speed
    3GB Up, 30GB Down
    Browser
    SeaMonkey
    Antivirus
    Windows Defender; MBAM Pro
    Other Info
    UEFI/GPT
    PLDS DVD-RW DH16AERSH
Right, sorry yes - I recall reading that, but didn't realize you meant the Acer website link.

Just out of interest, and to maybe help others, do you know of any other way to determine if it's the Bing flavour? I'll mark the post as solved after your reply.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Microsoft Windows 8.1 64-bit Microsoft Windows 8.1 64-bit 9600 Multiprocessor Free
    Computer type
    Laptop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    GenuineIntel (ProcessorID=BFEBFBFF00030678)
    CPU
    Intel(R) Celeron(R) CPU N2840 @ 2.16GHz
    Motherboard
    Acer, Base Board, Aspire ES1-512, V1.07
    Memory
    4.00 GB - Samsung, SODIMM
    Graphics Card(s)
    Microsoft Basic Display Adapter (Device ID = VideoController1)
    Sound Card
    Microsoft - High Definition Audio Device
    Monitor(s) Displays
    Laptop screen
    Screen Resolution
    1366 x 768 x 32 bits (4294967296 colors) @ 1 Hz
    Hard Drives
    Crucial_CT512M550SSD1, 476.94 GB, 3 partitions
    PSU
    -
    Case
    -
    Cooling
    -
    Keyboard
    -
    Mouse
    Microsoft wireless mouse
    Internet Speed
    Fiber
    Browser
    Chrome
    Antivirus
    No
    Other Info
    Language: English (United Kingdom) - English (United Kingdom)
    BIOS: Insyde Corp. V1.07
No, nothing I found says Bing except the web site.
It should state it in the output of systeminfo but it doesn't. I hoped the Product ID was unique for Bing but I can't verify that either. For instance, on my Win 8.1 Pro X64, this is the first part of the systeminfo output:

Code: 
OS Name:                   Microsoft Windows 8.1 Pro
OS Version:                6.3.9600 N/A Build 9600
OS Manufacturer:           Microsoft Corporation
OS Configuration:          Standalone Workstation
OS Build Type:             Multiprocessor Free
Registered Owner:          rrkurtz
Registered Organization:
Product ID:                00178-11202-21970-AB982
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 10 Pro X64
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    Lenovo IdeaCenter K450
    CPU
    Intel Quad Core i7-4770 @ 3.4Ghz
    Motherboard
    Lenovo
    Memory
    16.0GB PC3-12800 DDR3 SDRAM 1600 MHz
    Graphics Card(s)
    Intel Integrated HD Graphics
    Sound Card
    Realtek HD Audio
    Monitor(s) Displays
    HP h2207
    Screen Resolution
    1680x1050@59Hz
    Hard Drives
    250GB Samsung EVO SATA-3 SSD;
    2TB Seagate ST2000DM001 SATA-2;
    1.5TB Seagate ST3150041AS SATA
    PSU
    500W
    Keyboard
    Wired USB
    Mouse
    Wired USB
    Internet Speed
    3GB Up, 30GB Down
    Browser
    SeaMonkey
    Antivirus
    Windows Defender; MBAM Pro
    Other Info
    UEFI/GPT
    PLDS DVD-RW DH16AERSH
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