Well if I really need to do a reinstall, I'll do it. Does someone knows how to keep all the installed drivers and desktop apps and files with a clean install?
I have done all these steps with Windows 8.1 Pro on several different PCs and on several different USB sticks. But Windows 8.1 doesn't boot. The first boot always shows the blue Windows 8 flag und the circling dots - but nothing further. I do the exact same steps with Windows 8 Pro and in works. I do the exact same steps with Windows 8.1 Pro on a Windows 8 certified USB stick (which is recognized as USB drive) and in works. I copied a working Windows 8.1 installation from a Windows 8 certified USB stick (which is recognized as USB drive) to a cheap, "normal", not certified USB stick (which is recognized as USB removable media) with Linux "GParted" and the copy don't work. So I think Microsoft has changed the rights for running "Windows 8.1 To Go" to only run on certified USB sticks (which are recognized as USB drive)
I think you would need to change manually the bootloader on the normal USB drive after the copy. The Uuids of the partitions are different in uefi mode
Trying to get a UEFI-enabled Windows to Go USB Flash drive created manually is a friggin nightmare. I remember doing it using a substandard USB3 drive and rmusbprep tool and it was fairly nerd-rage-table-flip-ish. My drive was too slow to bother, even though I got it working. It literally took forever to do anything in Windows 8 using a USB flash drive, but I imagine a Windows 7 USB to Go drive wouldn't be too bad.