A device for use in a computer system, particularly a personal computer (PC) which provides compatibility for a proposed ISA plug and play (PNP) standard. The device of the present invention is also backward compatible with non-PNP (legacy) PCs. Upon power-up, a device may initialize using default traditional or specification (ISA) values for I/O address, IRQ and DMA channels. If PNP activity by the host PC is detected by the device, the device is disabled, and awaits activation and I/O address, IRQ and DMA channel assignments from a host PC. If no PNP activity by a host PC is detected, the device continues to operate using default traditional or specification (ISA) I/O address, IRQ and DMA channels. The device of the present invention may be installed in PNP or legacy type PCs without reconfiguring hardware (e.g., DIP switches, jumpers or the like) in the device or installing new firmware, operating system, or applications software in a host PC.