Apparently made a mistake in initially trying to install 12.3 by trying to start it as with pae; my laptop doesn't support that so got all sorts of issues and of course never loaded.
Tried a full new install using only standard options and avoiding the pae options, but when came time to reboot from the install, and even using default (recovery) option, would only load to end of scroll page where says "Reached target Graphical Interface" and then just has cursor keep blinking there at left corner of bottom, but goes no further [occasionally -- very randomly -- will start the five icon display, but never gets further than the third icon].
Is there something I should try as to kernel or driver options or something else which might get it to complete start-up?

opensuse 12.3 and 13.1 are both unsupported

-- DO NOT USE --

please use the current
-- there was a naming change "openSUSE leap 42.1 "

https://en.opensuse.org/Portal:42.1

Only have 32-bit for suse; LEAP no good; may have to quite suse, but trying to get 12s to work.

You may need the NOMODESET option to GRUB. As soon as you get to the GRUB prompt, type NOMODESET followed by the return key. No guarantee, but it may work.

How do I enter the NOMODESET since startup immediately goes to the flashing of a two second GRUB sign and words 'Welcome to GRUB' before immediately going to selection of os variation options [advanced, etc.]? Can hold it with 'Pause' button, but no cursor or any way to insert anything. Tried various combinations of tab, control, alt, F123etc. but nothing at start-up gives me option to insert anything.
Via C-Alt-F2 during the start-up scrolling script when reaches bottom of that page, I am able to get a command line, but don't know what to try there.
Trying startx gives that:
[KMS] drm report modesetting isn't supported
Fatal server error: no screens found Xinit failed. /usr/bin/Xorg is not setuid use a display manager [HOW WOULD I SET THAT UP?]

/etc/permissions.local has:
#/usr/sbin/suexec.2 root:root 4755
#setuid bit on Xorg is only needed if no display manager, ie startx is used. Beware of CVE-2010-2240
#/usr/bin/Xorg root:root 4711

SHOULD I REMOVE ONE OR MORE OF THOSE COMMENT SYMBOLS?

It may have changed, but when I used it I simply started typing the word nomodeset when he GRUB sign started flashing: a box opened into which the word was typed.

Apparently, it has indeed changed as no box opens up; but what about removing one or more comment signs from the /etc/permissions.local file? Would that or something similar help fix problem?

To save anyone time on this, the removal of comment signs, etc. didn't help, so overwrote all with new install of most reliable OS I've had: suse 10.2
Sure enough had perfect install and all works smoothly; don't even think I'll upgrade it.

for older hardware there ARE OS's just for that

CentOS 6.7 runs on 15 year old hardware

CentOS 7.2 might even run on yours

suse 10.3 is long deceased and long unsupported

it went End Of Life on October 31st 2009
https://en.opensuse.org/Lifetime