1. A computer-implemented method comprising: imaging a first storage device to create an image, the image comprising a base file system and registry; identifying a software application that is not installed within the image; before deploying the image to a second storage device, inserting the software application into the image as a software virtualization layer that overlays the software application over the base file system and registry instead of modifying the base file system and registry such that, when the software virtualization layer is enabled, the software application appears to an operating system of the image as though it were installed in the base file system and registry; deploying the image to the second storage device after the software application is inserted into the image.