Opensuse 11 boot routine and video settings
 

When I boot up my machine running Opensuse 11 it goes through the regular process during which there is a period where I am asked to select a video setting or wait 30 seconds.

What exactly is the point of this? I always just wait out the 30 seconds and my video, resolution and such run just fine.

How can I stop this process from occurring during boot up, if at all?

Well after using opensuse for quit a while now , this really something new to me.
It not normal , normal is after bootup procedure is login screen if you disabled auto login ,or directly loading desktop
So may first impression there something strange with the way she stores the video settings

It does go to the desktop because I have auto login, but during the initial boot it asks me for some video settings to choose, all vga and in weird resolutions that I don't understand like 84x84...

It says to wait 30 seconds for it to continue on its own. I just wish it would skip the process all togheter.

Let give it try start yast2>hardware>Graphic card and monitor.
If graphic card you see is the correct one , leave it that way .
If not see if you,re card is one of the options
Select the correct resolution for you,re monitor
Test the settings ,if give you the option do do so.
If it seems to be correct save it.
If possible post you,re xorg.config
If it does not work post again