Oh, and the problem lies in the fact that , at least this OEM machine, uses GPT, rather than MBR.

I have read that I may be able to convert it to MBR, then install Windows 8 from a non UEFI disc. Which I have one of those.

Now you understand why I posted way back when about UEFI and what a stupid POS idea it is.

Upgrading to 8 is ok, if you like 8. Just do it in MBR mode and do it on your own built rig. With a normal Windows 8 disc or ISO from the MS Store.

My main rig has a UEFI BIOS but the Windows 8.1 OS on it wasn't installed in UEFI mode. So it doesn't have all these problems. I can restore a disk image backup on it fine.

The problem here is that the OEM machine I bought came preinstalled with a UEFI version of Windows 8.1 which was installed in UEFI mode.

Other words, the UEFI bios isn't the problem. It's the mode in which the OS was installed.

I have seen articles on how to make your own UEFI Windows 8 disc from your non UEFI one.

Why would you want to?

Yes Doc, it is truly a POS!

Not necessarily.

I gave up on partitioning drives. I have a Huge old Raidmax case with 3 BR drives. a Vantech hot swap bay, floppy drive and 4 internal drives. Also have 4 Roswell external bays hooked up in eSATA. I use Ghost to back up images on a separate 3TB drive. Don't know why you cant install your operating system on separate drives for a dual boot then edit the MBR using easybdc to duel boot. I will experiment with that and see how it goes. Course that wont work on a laptop with 1 drive would it.

I can create an image backup just fine with my program. It's restoring it that's problematic.

Here's what I did to migrate the boot partition and all pertinent data from the 1TB drive my notebook shipped with, to the SSD I already had.

1.  I upgraded to the newest Easeus ToDo Workstation software.

2.  I created a bootable CD with the ToDo software on it.

3.  Having both the 1TB regular drive and the SSD connected I booted to the ToDo backup CD.

4.  Selected the boot partition on the 1TB and cloned it to the then empty SSD.

5.  After the clone/copy job completed I turned the system off.  Disconnected the 1TB regular drive to test things and removed the ToDo backup CD.

6.  Booted the notebook.  It booted in exactly the same fashion it had when booting from the 1TB regular drive albeit now a tad faster.

I literally did not have to do anything else to get things working.

EDIT:

As has already been previously stated.  The issue is GPT.  All you need to do is make sure any imaging (backup/restore) software you wish to use properly supports GPT partitions and things will be just as painless (in terms of backup and restore) as they used to be.  

Except for getting the machine to boot from the DVD. It seems I have to go into BIOS and disable the UEFI Boot Options, and Secure Boot, and enable Legacy Boot Options in order to get the PC to boot from the Easeus Disc.

Enlighten me if you know an easier way.

From what I read UEFI Partitions the hard drive with 4 partitions automatically in GPT mode and then installs windows.That means there is no MBR and you can't reparation and do a duel boot.The article also said you have to have a specially formatted DVD to boot up from CD drive. But didn't say how to make it. Might want to research that more,I didn't have time. It also said to boot from a thumb drive it has to formatted with fat32 to work.

Well that's not my experience of things, not at all.  When I was ready to install Windows on my SSD there was only one partition.  From there, Win 8 created a "System Reserved" partition of 300mb, an EFI partition of 100mb, and the OS partition itself.

A UEFI system does not need a Master Boot Record like Legacy BIOSes, instead it records the installed HDDs in the GPT file.  However, this does not prevent dual booting should one wish to do so.  I also read that dual booting wasn't possible in a UEFI environment, so I [partially] tried to install Ubuntu on my UEFI based AMD FX 3850 rig, just to see if I could. I ran the installation disc and got to select the partition I wanted to use, and then I clicked install, which it began to do without hinderance.  I just didn't complete the installation because I didn't want to lose the rapid boot times I was achieving.

Also, I have a neighbour who dual boots Win 8 and Win XP Pro on his UEFI based machine, so it is possible. I just think there is way too much misinformation out there regarding UEFI and Windows 8, that people are possibly avoiding good and reliable systems on the basis of bullshit, for want of a better word/expression.  For example, I have performed reparations/recoveries in the UEFI environment without issue, either with Acronis True image or the native Windows recovery process, so that's not true.

What?  Really?  I don't know what that even means... or where the idea came from.  Unless they're talking really old hardware or some other issue from the Stone Age, that is totally rubbish.  I can boot from my Windows 8 disc, and I don't know that it is specially formatted.  I can boot from my Acronis recovery disc, and I didn't specially format that when I created it.  And for good measure, I'm going to try a Win 98 disc and an XP disc in my other UEFI machine.  Hang on!    Yup, just as I expected!  Both booted from disc.  So that's not true, either..

I dunno, I sometimes wonder if this misinformation is blatant bullshit, and if so, how do these 'media types' get away with it against some of the most powerful tech companies in the world.  Or alternatively, is it misguided opinion because the 'so-called' expert trusted to evaluate the tech had no clue what he/she was doing, therefore resulting in a completely unreliable review/assessment, whatever.  In either event, it makes me angry that the 'misinformation is allowed to remain out there to be embellished upon by another string of experts with an axe to grind.

I will admit that I was a bit hesitant at first, not knowing much about UEFI, but in having used it in 3 systems over the last 12 months, I will safely and categorically say that there is absolutely nothing wrong with it [until I have a reason to bitch about it].  Nah, seriously, it's damn good tech when used properly/as intended and isn't feched up by an OEM. with an agenda to drive.

Hehe, couldn't help myself, could I?  Had to wind up with a bit of a conspiracy theory, didn't I!  Maybe, cos I loves a good conspiracy theory, and it's way past my bedtime, it'll help me to sleep better.

EDIT!!!

Oi, what business have you, posting in between me and my intended quotee, and then go insult my goofy BOIS in the preocess?  You've been a naughty boy again, haven't you!  Now you're to big to go over my knee fer a good whooping with grandma's best teatowel, not to mention too far away, so as punishment I'm gonna give you negative karma until the cows come home.

BTW, I'm pleased to see that you got it sorted.    See, with a bit of determination and a few cuss words, anything's possible.

Starkers, your setup may be different. I can only report what I know to be the case with my rig. It is an OEM, whereas yours you self built. OEMs are locked down, as we all know.

Even HP support told me it couldn't be done, only because they weren't gonna tell me to alter the BIOS.

Lots and lots of cuss words. I even had to make up some new ones to hold back redundancy. 

HP Non Support brought a few new ones outta me!! 

I would have preferred to built one, but I had to buy this thing on credit, best I could do.

Gets me in the livingroom with the missus, we's trying to get closer in our old age.    

Normally, yes. Dunno about this UEFI shit.

I sit corrected. Once I reenabled UEFI, the Windows 7 install won't load. If UEFI is left disabled in BIOS, Both OSes load. But for some reason, then, my touchscreen doesn't work with UEFI disabled.

On top of that, there doesn't seem to be drivers for 7 for this rig.

I hate wasting a 500 GB HDD on a single OS. 

Guess I'm single booting.....bummer.