SOLVED
I followed the advice of SonarBassMan (see below)to copy a line in the RDIF1098.inf file into the next entry BUT I could not get the laptop to start in Debug mode (choice #1 from the Advanced startup menu) Instead I used option #7 which is "Disable driver signature enforcement"
 
I then installed the UA-1g driver and I now am back to using ASIO w latency in Cakewalk X3b!
 
FYI I have a Cakewalk/Roland UAG-1  audio interface on my laptop and just installed Win 8.1
After install the interface is no longer seen by the OS
I've uninstalled/reinstalled the only driver version available from Roland and the interface is still not seen
Device Manager shows the usual exclamation point with a problem install.
Roland Product support is only open M-W-F so I will contact them tomorrow
 
 
Question If I have to get a new audio interface any recommendations?
All I need on this laptop is an audio output with ASIO
 
Thanks,
Fred

Someone had posted a thread a week or so ago saying that Win8.1 does not support Win8 drivers, which is baffling :( I tried to find that post, but cannot seem to find it.
 
I backed out of the idea of upgrading to Win8 as soon as I saw it could not be backed out of, and required the previous OS to be reinstalled.
 
Customer support might be a good option to contact as well for your interface question, they have "recommended hardware" for SONAR.

This is common with Roland Interfaces...
 
About a month ago I posted a thread about it, specifically my Roland UA-55 Quad Capture...
Although the 8.1 Preview and Beta have been around for quite awhile...Roland never 
releases a drive before the OS is released...

Using the 8.1 preview my QC no longer existed....nothing helped...it was just gone...
I'm currently waiting on updated drivers from Roland before I update.
I have the 8.1 preview on a different hard drive, so was well aware of this...and 
went back to 8.0

mettelus
Someone had posted a thread a week or so ago saying that Win8.1 does not support Win8 drivers, which is baffling :( I tried to find that post, but cannot seem to find it.
 
I backed out of the idea of upgrading to Win8 as soon as I saw it could not be backed out of, and required the previous OS to be reinstalled.
 
Customer support might be a good option to contact as well for your interface question, they have "recommended hardware" for SONAR.

The drivers and devices work fine under Win 8, but not Win 8.1...

Upgrading to Win 8 is relatively safe...most of the I/O's have had updated drivers for Win 8.

If I get a new machine I may make the switch to Win8, but my audio interface is antiquated and I felt I got lucky that M-Audio updated the drivers for it (and I cannot envision a touchscreen will enhance my usage). I absolutely love having an audio interface and MIDI controller in one... and cannot find a newer replacement for it yet. Every time I ask music stores about an audio interface with a MIDI controller they all say "I have never heard of such a thing"

All the Roland drivers spec the version of the OS in there INF files. The drivers might work but the OS will not let them install.
There is a work around that requires changing the INF file, booting into debug mode(files will not match CAT file ID and debug ignores that), install the driver and switch back to nondebug mode. 

SonarBassMan,
Here's a partial listing of the .inf file. Are you referencing the line I highlighted?
; Installation inf for the UA-1G
;
; Copyright (c) 2012 Roland Corporation
;
[Version]
Signature="$Windows NT$"
Class=MEDIA
ClassGUID={4d36e96c-e325-11ce-bfc1-08002be10318}
Provider=%MfgName%
CatalogFile=RDID1098.CAT
DriverVer=10/25/2012,1.00.00.0000
;---------------------------------------------------------------;
[DestinationDirs]
RDID0098.Files.Asio = 11
RDID0098.Files.User = 11
RDID0098.Files.Inst = 11
RDID0098.Files.As32 = 10,syswow64
RDID0098.Files.Ext = 10,system32\drivers ; %SystemRoot%\system32\drivers
DefaultDestDir = 10,system32\drivers ; %SystemRoot%\system32\drivers
[SourceDisksNames]
1=%RDID0098DiskName%,,
[SourceDiskSFiles]
RDWM1098.SYS=1
RDAS1098.DLL=1
RDDP1098.EXE=1
RDCP1098.CPL=1
RDCI1098.DLL=1
RDAW1098.DLL=1
RDAH1098.DAT=1
;---------------------------------------------------------------;
[Manufacturer]
%MfgName%=Roland,NTamd64.6.2,NTamd64.6.3
;[ControlFlags]
;ExcludeFromSelect=*
[Roland]
;; Windows7 - Windows XP 64
;; not supported
[Roland.NTamd64.6.2]
;; Windows8
%RDID0098DeviceDesc%=RDID0098Install, USB\VID_0582&PID_00E9 ; UA-1G
[Roland.NTamd64.6.3]
;; not supported

Yes [Roland.NTamd64.6.2] (6.2) is Windows 8 and [Roland.NTamd64.6.3] (6.3) is Windows 8.1 sections. Copying the string from under 6.2 section to the 6.3 will allow the OS to find and install the driver but only if kernel debug is turned on as the CAT file (RDID1098.CAT) will not match and retail windows will not allow it to install.

........ Listing to all of the talk about Windows 8.1  
 
UH ????  is this the coding for getting cable on my TV illegally?
 
; Installation inf for the UA-1G
;
; Copyright (c) 2012 Roland Corporation
;
[Version]
Signature="$Windows NT$"
Class=MEDIA
ClassGUID={4d36e96c-e325-11ce-bfc1-08002be10318}
Provider=%MfgName%
CatalogFile=RDID1098.CAT
DriverVer=10/25/2012,1.00.00.0000
;---------------------------------------------------------------;
[DestinationDirs]
RDID0098.Files.Asio = 11
RDID0098.Files.User = 11
RDID0098.Files.Inst = 11
RDID0098.Files.As32 = 10,syswow64
RDID0098.Files.Ext = 10,system32\drivers ; %SystemRoot%\system32\drivers
DefaultDestDir = 10,system32\drivers ; %SystemRoot%\system32\drivers
[SourceDisksNames]
1=%RDID0098DiskName%,,
[SourceDiskSFiles]
RDWM1098.SYS=1
RDAS1098.DLL=1
RDDP1098.EXE=1
RDCP1098.CPL=1
RDCI1098.DLL=1
RDAW1098.DLL=1
RDAH1098.DAT=1
;---------------------------------------------------------------;
[Manufacturer]
%MfgName%=Roland,NTamd64.6.2,NTamd64.6.3
;[ControlFlags]
;ExcludeFromSelect=*
[Roland]
;; Windows7 - Windows XP 64
;; not supported
[Roland.NTamd64.6.2]
;; Windows8
%RDID0098DeviceDesc%=RDID0098Install, USB\VID_0582&PID_00E9 ; UA-1G
[Roland.NTamd64.6.3]
;; not supported

Too tired tonight to give this a try-maybe tomorrow (if I have the courage)
Fred