Need new Windows 8.1 activation key after hard drive replacement and system recovery

I am new to this board but a very long time ThinkPad user.
Bought a new T540p and the hard drive failed within five days of receipt; Lenovo sent me a new drive, recovery disks, machine is fully restored.  With a new hard drive, the machine's "finger print" no longer matches the original Microsoft OEM activation.  I have been on the phone with Lenovo six times and they promise to send me a new activation code, they have transferred me to Microsoft twice (they actually tried to help but concluded it was an OEM copy so they couldn't do anything).  Still no activation code and I really can't finish building out this machine.  Short of sending the machine back to Lenovo, is there a way to legimately get this valid OEM license activated? How do you get a new activation code from Lenovo? I was transferred back and forth between hardware and software support three times.  I searched the forum but did not see this problem exactly.
Thank you for you help.

@2014anonon...
Good day and welcome to the community.
On an outside chance of an embedded key / recovery dvd version (pro vs std) mismatch, please have a look at the first screen of your UEFI / BIOS. What value do you see listed as the Preinstalled OS License? Whether it's defined as Std or Pro in UEFI / BIOS, it should match the type of W8 Genuine sticker on the bottom of your machine. Then check the labeling of the recovery DVDs you received from Lenovo to compare.
Please let us know what you find.
Regards.
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