Bricked Inspiron 3043. No help from Dell Support

Hard drive crashed.  Re-install of same OS version (8.1 Home) will not activate.  After re-install we get "you do not have a valid activation code... please purchase a Windows license from the Microsoft store".  OS re-install doesn't read UEFI Product Key.

We have spent hours on the phone with Dell support with no resolution.  One support rep says "you can re-install from MS downloaded installation media" (as Microsoft also says).  When we try, Windows doesn't activate.  Next rep says "only OEM Dell recovery media will allow Windows activation".  Fine, but Dell refuses to ship installation media to us, so who knows?  In any case, a barely 14mo old  Inspiron 3043 is useless at this point.

Our company has stopped purchasing or supporting Dell products due to this and other recent problems with Dell.  Does any Dell rep care?  None of the four we have spoken to on the phone have been any help at all.