Just an example of "complication."

Want to know how to root your android phone, install a custom ROM and a custom kernel? Read:

P.S. I wrote this from memory of doing this process myself.

***!!!THIS TUTORIAL IS ONLY FOR WINDOWS USERS!!!***

The List of Root and Rom:

Applications/Files Needed:

-su-2.3.6.1-ef-signed.zip (flashable root) from the bottom of: http://modadroid.com/showthread.php?t=43

-CWMRecovery.tar from: http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=788099

-Odin3 v1.3.exe from: http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=788099

-Samsung USB Drivers from the top of: http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=779238

-Android SDK (Good to have, not necessary for these steps.)

-Rom Manager(download from market)

-Titanium Backup (download from market)

Process:

1. Install Samsung USB Drivers on your computer. Now is a good time to back up your contacts.

2. Install Odin on your PC, download the cwmrecovery.tar file. Open Odin, put the phone in download mode (battery pull, hold volume down while plugging in the USB cable. Should see a bright yellow display indicating DL mode.)

3. Odin will indicate device recognition by displaying a yellow bar with a com port. If this is the case, in the lower right quadrant of Odin, click "PDA" and locate the cwmrecovery.tar file you downloaded. DO NOT USE "PHONE," "CSC," OR "PIT" TO FLASH THIS FILE. Press start. The phone will reboot.

4. Place the su-2.3.6.1-ef-signed.zip on a folder somewhere on your sdcard.

5. Battery pull, reboot into normal recovery (hold the volume up AND down buttons while you power on.) In normal recovery, flash the update.zip. This will put you in CWM (Clockwork Mod Recovery.)

6. Now you need to flash the su-2.3.6.1-ef-signed.zip file in CWM. In the main menu, select "install zip from sdcard." Navigate the menu with the volume up and down. Make selections with the power button. From that menu, pick "choose zip from sdcard." Navigate to the folder where your su-2.3.6.1-ef-signed.zip is, select it, flash it. Use the "go back" option in the menu until you see the "reboot" option. Select it.

7. Download Rom Manager from the market.

8. Open Rom manager to verify root. A popup should appear, asking you to grant it "superuser privileges." If this happens, the root was successful. In Rom Manager, select "Flash ClockworkMod Recovery." Be sure to pick your phone from the list. After this, reboot to recovery. If you recieve an error, dont fret. applying the update.zip in normal recovery will send you to CWM.

9. Download and install Titanium Backup from the market. Open the app, hit the "problems" button (bottom, center) and do the Auto-upgrade for BusyBox. After that is complete, hit the menu button, select "Batch," hit "Run: backup all user apps."

10. Open Rom manager. Select "Download Rom." Download your rom of choice, preferably on Wifi. Check the options to backup the existing rom, and wipe data and cache.

11. Rom manager will reboot into recovery. You may need to select the "apply update.zip" to initiate the flash of the rom. Once it does this, let it do its thing, it will reboot when it's done.

12. The phone should reboot, looking totally stock. All user apps and data will have been wiped. Re-rooting isn't necessary. Install Rom Manager from the market again. Head to the Download rom menu again, select a kernel. Download and install it. Check the "backup existing rom" option again, but dont wipe data and cache. The phone will reboot to recovery again. You may need to apply update.zip again. Flashy flashy, then wait for a reboot.

13. Now you're running a custom rom and kernel. At this point you want to rebuild your system apps with titanium backup (TiB.) You'll need to download it from the market again. Run TiB (do the busybox part in step 9 again), hit the menu button and select "Batch" liike you did last time. Run: restore user apps. You'll have to babysit it if you're running the free version.

14. After this point, you should make a backup. Go into Rom Manager, hit the "backup existing rom" option, name it something WITH NO SPACES (example:SUPERCLEAN1111.) The phone will reboot to recovery. Again, you may need to apply the update.zip to initiate the backup. It'll reboot when done.

15. From here, rebuild your phone as you like, and enjoy.