Solved Guidance on install win 8 to non UEFI machine running win7

Hi,
I hope to install onto a new ssd windows 8 x64 downloaded from anytime upgrade.

The target machine is a Sony Laptop, given that Sony deems it necessary to lock out the most useful areas of the legacy BIOS; what would you do if you purchased a car from a dealer and they will not give you the key!
Anyway, how can I check if bios is set to AHCI, if not, cannot do too much about it, also how to check if it is UEFI or BIOS. The machine is not a spring chicken therefore assume its bios.

I have read a number of posts on various forum that suggest clean/update install on a non UEFI machine is pretty much a nightmare with no clear installation procedure offered?

The laptop current O.S. is windows 7 x64 I have the win 8 any time upgrade code & key.
Can I just execute 'setup.exe' from within current O.S.?

Any guidance would be much appreciated.
An install/upgrade steps up to select install option Upgrade or Custom would help enormously.
Now doubt many will think this post is dumb, therefore, if there's already answer to my query please advise reference.
Many thanks
Confused of Bournemouth.

Some folks have said that Win8 x64 requires UEFI and GPT -- which is interesting, because I have an older BIOS-MBR machine that installed Win8 x64 just fine, and upgraded to Win8.1 x64 without problems.

However, to protect yourself in case anything goes wrong, BEFORE the upgrade, you should consider the following:
1) download and install the free version of Macrium Reflect (MR)
2) do an image backup using MR to an external drive of your System Reserved partition and OS partition
3) use the option in MR to create a WinPE boot USB or CD

NOW, you have a way of restoring your current working setup in only a few minutes -- so you can charge ahead with the Update.

Yes you would start the upgrade from within windows that way there won't be any issues with what kind of install UEFI or Legacy. The installation will pick up what you have and install that way.
DON'T take any chances make the disk Images that Mark suggested first!! Its free and only takes a few minutes you'll never regret that you did.

Guidance on install win8

Thank you very mch for your helpful reply. I will heed your advice on backup a imageing.

Regards Orac