[AT&T Samsung Galaxy Note I717] lmike6453:
Hello! Here I will show you how to flash CWM to your Galaxy Note which is considered to be a "recovery" portion of the device that takes place of the stock one and has additional functionality. Less talk, more do:

Step 1: Obtain the files you need.

Download the driver necessary for your computer to communicate with your phone and install from:

http://www.samsung.com/us/support/owners/product/SGH-I717ZBAATT

Download Odin 1.85:

Google/Bing it since I don't know a valid link that's allowed to be used, will update with one if possible.

Download the CWM Touch Based Recovery from Braway's thread located here:

http://xdaforums.com/showthread.php?t=1584576 the yellow Odin link

Download your choice of a ROM(a custom optimized version of the Android operating system). Here are a few very popular ones:

The Hybrid(ICS):

http://xdaforums.com/showthread.php?t=1630089

SAUROM(GB):

http://xdaforums.com/showthread.php?t=1522942

Seraphim(ICS):

http://xdaforums.com/showthread.php?t=1602632

Step 2: Prep your phone by placing it in "Download" mode.

Turn off your phone.

Connect it via USB to your computer.

Hold down the Volume Down button at the same time as your hold the power button until the phone vibrates once. As soon as the phone vibrates once release the power button while continuing to hold Volume Down until you see this:

Press Volume Up to confirm.

Step 3: Flash CWM.

On your computer navigate to Odin3 v1.85 and launch it with Administrative privledges to be safe(right-click - Run as Administrator).

It will open(hopefully) and you will see this. Ensure that "Auto Reboot", "F. Reset Time", and "PDA" are checkmarked.

Click the PDA button and navigate to Braway's CWM that you downloaded in step 1. Select it and select ok.

It should show next to the PDA button and then hold your breath sniper style and click "Start"

Wait until you see Passed in the top left hand corner which should take maybe 10-60 seconds and you are golden. If not your phone could be trashed and it's not my fault, just saying.

Step 4: Get into CWM

Power off the phone.

Similar to how you got into download mode except for the keypress is slightly different.

Hold down the Volume Down AND Volume Up button(kind of pressing the middle of the volume key itself) at the same time as your hold the power button until the phone vibrates once. As soon as the phone vibrates once release the power button while continuing to hold Volume Down until you see this:

Step 1: Understanding CWM, usage.

Before doing anything, navigate to "Backup and Restore" and select backup and confirm. This is known as a nandroid backup. If you ever are caught in a bind you will navigate here and select Restore instead of Backup in this menu.

Now is play time without many worries. Restart back into the normal Android system and gain access to your internal SD card via USB on your computer. Copy your ROM to "the root" of your SD card.

Restart back into CWM.

You're ready to flash, but right before flashing any ROM perform the following steps:

Select wipe data/factory reset and confirm

Select wipe cache partition and confirm

Select advanced - wipe dalvik cache and confirm

Select install zip from SD card

Select from internal SD card or wherever you placed it.

Select the ROM file and confirm.

Wait while you see something like this:

Once the bottom line says something like complete you'll have access to the menu to select Go Back and then Reboot system now.

All done!

DISCLAIMER: I am not responsible for anything that happens to your phone whether you followed the instructions properly or not.