HDD Failed; How to recover? Free options?

Question

Hi all -- I have never in 20 years had a HDD fail, but there is always a first time, and that first time for me was with my Toshiba Portege Z835-330 Ultrabook. Failed after 6 months. Rather than shipping in the whole computer for ~$40, I just bought a bigger HDD off of crucial.com. Problem is, I never made system recovery software.
Doing my research, I found the Toshiba recovery FAQ: http://bit.ly/ZrsXml. My HDD is toast, so the only option that looks like it applies to me is to buy new recovery software. (What a pain! And why isn't this downloadable for free upon typing in one's serial number! <end rant>)
So my questions are:
1) Is there any free option I am overlooking? E.g by using my Windows product key from the sticker on the back?
2) If there is no free option available to me, is the best path to order the DVD? Or is there some way to download the software and save on a USB?  Would be awesome if I could do this today, while it is top of mind.
Many thanks!
--First time Toshiba purchaser

Answer 1

(ETA:  This won't work for a dead SSD, but might for a conventional dead HDD, so I'll post it anyhow.)
Somebody on another forum was able to recover a dead Windows 7 HD's (conventional platter HD)  files as follows:
Use a Linux PC, or a laptop or PC that can run Linux from a Linux live cd.   They used Linux Mint Debian but some other variety may work equally well.
Hook up the dead HD with a SATA to USB cable or an enclosure or whatever's on hand.
Use the Linux PC to read and copy files off of the dead HD to a DVD or USB flash drive or to the hard drive for later transfer to other media.   If you could read and copy that recovery partition (or is it two hidden partitions on a Toshiba?), then maybe it can be set up on a new HD?   (I haven't done it.  I only read it, on the Internet.   lolz)
alternate:
You can get the Windows 7 SP1 operating system ISO file from Digital River free download (Google for it.)  Burn to DVD, install, and then add all of the Toshiba stuff from Downloads at Toshiba.   Activation requires the key code from the sticker on the laptop.  If you can't read it or don't have that, then you're outta luck.    You still won't have all of the MS Office & whatever apps came "factory," but at least you can run the laptop until you get a recovery disk set or USB drive.   Disk set is only $30 shipped.