What means to properly configure a workstation in a virtual environment?

Question

System administration

Sometimes it becomes necessary to set up a user's workstation for a long time. For example, upgrade Windows from 7 to 8.1 while keeping files, programs, settings, and so on. There is no way to do this for the user's lunch.
Therefore, I do it like this:
1) There is a device like Zalman (ZM-VE350 B). From it I mount the boot image of Acronis and make a backup.
2) Backup saved to disk in Zalman I drag to my computer.
3) Through the desktop Acronis 11.7, I re-save the backup as a VMware virtual machine.
4) I do the necessary configuration in a virtual environment.
5) When everything is ready, I take a backup from the virtual machine.
6) I deploy this backup on the workstation from which it all started.
Is there a way to make this whole process easier? Or, for example, use other means.

Answer 1

This is done through an administrative procedure. An employee is kicked home from lunch so that you have time to do everything. Either you get paid extra for working on weekends or after work (or compensated in some other way). Nefig set impossible conditions.

Answer 2

Is there a way to make this whole process easier? Or, for example, use other means.

What, Microsoft's updater doesn't work anymore? She does exactly that, only without the gumosis.
If it does not work, then why this circus with virtual machines? What prevents you from making a restore point or even an entire image of the system through regular Windows tools and rolling back if something happens? What, you have nowhere to go? This is trash in its very nature.

Answer 3

Single over (with backup of course)
If not a very old PC with SSD - an hour should be enough!