A method and apparatus for automatically manufacturing a computer. An order is received from a customer. A manufacturing plant assembles together the hardware and software components from stores specified by the order, and loads the software packages onto the computer. A Web page is provided for the customer to specify any software modifications required. Those modifications are recorded as auto-modification files. The auto-modification files and the order details are checked against each other and the manufacturer's current capabilities for consistency by a validation unit. Each auto-modification file in turn is called by the manufacturing control unit, which determines the configuration data corresponding thereto and enters that configuration data into the computer as the software packages are being loaded.