general boot sequence question

Anyone feel like lecturing? What is the specific boot sequence and how do the config files / config utilities / boot process interact for a SuSE install? I'm used to the old style simple rc files and am seeing double trying to figure out where the modules get loaded and how to prevent them from being loaded in some cases (short of removing the modules). I'd like to get more familiar with how the entire SuSE boot sequence works with relation to yast1/2 etc really. Particularly with the specific ways it departs from an old style simple rc file boot. Thanks in advance...