Xorg configuration, pre install of distro, force vesa resolution

Installing Linux on an old 32bit machine can be a problem if there’s no option in the install menu to set graphics setting for an old machine that can’t handle accelerated graphics and only supports the low resolution.
So my question is how can one pre-configure Xorg setting for this before installation begins?

Do you have a spare machine available?

I got an old Packard Bell that I want to install Debian on, but it’s not up to much graphics wise.

You could theoretically install the whole system on a different computer, then migrate the disk back to the one where the installation wasn’t working that well. This is the easiest way in this situation.

Certainly that’s a method that would probably work, and I have experimented with it but here I want to learn more about Xorg and where the configuration files are for setting video res, and how to change them ect.
Basically I am trying to go deeper into linux, and at some point I would like to be able to start an installation from a minimal install and build up with whats needed, I know it’s a lot of study and it’s always handy to get tips from people who have taken the same journey, thanks for your reply.

http://www.linuxfromscratch.org/

That will allow you to go deep into how a Linux OS works.

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