MODIFICATION OF DEVICE CONFIGURATION WHEREIN THE SYSTEM SPECIFIES AND PROMPTS THE USER WITH ONLY PARAMETERS REQUIRED TO BE CHANGED

A process for the modification of device configuration in a computer system is designed to be easy-to-use by the user of the computer system yet allow the user flexibility in the specification of device configuration. The computer system stores parameter values of various default devices and devices already installed in the computer system. When the user invokes an "ADDDEV" command, the system prompts the user to enter one of a plurality of commands such as add, change or delete. Assuming the user enters the add command, the system prompts the user to enter the name of a default device or a similar device already installed in the system. When that information is entered by the user, the system determines from the stored parameters for the default or similar device which parameters must be re-specified by the user for the device to be added to the system. The system then prompts the user to enter only those parameters requiring respecification. Once those parameters have been respecified, the system stores the respecified parameters together with those parameters common to both the default or similar device and the added device thereby installing the added device in the computer system. The procedure not only simplifies the installation process by the user, but also minimizes the possibility that errors will be made in the installation of the added device. Further, the system allows for the possibility of optionally changing parameters that do not require re-specification or the parameters of devices already installed in the system.