configuration

A general-purpose computer term that refers to the way your computer's operating system is set up. It can also refer to the total combination of hardware components -- central processing unit (CPU), video display device, keyboard and peripheral devices -- that make up the computer system.

The configuration is also at work in the software settings that allow various hardware components of a computer system to communicate with one another. A vanilla configuration means the standard "clean" and "no frills" version of a computer's configuration (no device drivers or extra settings). This is what a technician might set a system to when trying to troubleshoot a problem with a computer's hardware.