[AT&T Samsung Galaxy Note I717] Jamesyboy:
Ignore them. You don't want a touch version of CWM to start off with. With the regular version, you can't screw up. There's up, down, and select.

You'll want to start by looking at the stickies in the development section.

When you think your ready....ignore the pull of your beautiful device, and all this gadgety hacker, and do a search for " how to use titanium backup ". Download the app, and do a batch backup of " backup all user apps + system data". This will backup almost everything. Your wifi passwords, your wallpapers, your settings, and even where you are in games and apps (in 99% of cases).

The best money you can currently spend is arguably the pro version, which allows you to do batch restores-- I.e. when you wipe your phone or move to a new ROM, or Update to a new version of the ROM, you can restore all of your apps at once, or even pick and choose them. These apps and settings will be backed up to your SD card, which will be untouched during flashes, rom installs, rooting, etcetera. With the free version, you have to do them one by one. The pro version also let's you backup to BOX.NET, Dropbox, or Google Drive. If you look around you can find a way to get 50 gigs free of Drop box space, the most popular cloud storage service right now. This is a must....if you ever water log your phone, corrupt your SD card, or something else, you'll always have a backup. You can also schedule backups to run while you sleep.

But after a night or two of reading and watching YouTube videos, you can head into the abyss (you'll have our support. Pm me if you need, as I get notifications when someone does....and I'm usually quick to respond).

But just follow these steps until you have Recovery installed, and have made a backup of the whole system (also known as a Nandroid).

http://xdaforums.com/showthread.php?t=1586223

After that, I'd recommend Flapjaxx ROM to start off with, because its a little like the Stock ROM, but has additional features that can be installed, or downloaded right from the phone. It also enables tethering.

Read here to freshen up join your terminology, but don't follow these instructions. The other ones seem easier to follow.

http://xdaforums.com/showthread.php?t=1483113

And lastly, here's FJ's ROM.

http://xdaforums.com/showthread.php?t=1664980

A ROM isn't necessary, however, because you can also just root and use the stock one.

On the first thread I posted, you'll want to read up and follow the steps in this order (I recommend the non touch version of clockwork mod so you can understand how the UI works, before you use a version that requires mastering use of the unlit soft keys on the bottom of the phone, and also introduces a couple variables, accidental and non accidental touches. Up and down, and enter are easy enough, and will get you familiar without increasing the chance to screw something up. Theoretically, they're the same. But bear with me.

On the first thread, follow steps:

1.

2.

3.

4a.

5a.

6a.

7.

8.

And then read the rest of the first thread. The second link I posted will help you decipher the language. Also, I'd spend the first two nights just reading, so you're COMPLETELY familiar with what you want/have to do. There are at least half a dozen flavours or Ice Cream Sandwich out, and you'll want to look in the development section:

http://xdaforums.com/forumdisplay.php?f=1496

Last all of the different ROMs, the screenshots, the features, and the comments, to fin what people like. Don't read into the negative comments and the issues too much however, and don't let them discourage you, because most of the issues that people have you'll A) never notice, because yoiull still be learning by the time they're fixed, B) won't bother you because they only involve doing specific things, and C) could be avoided by following the instructions closely.

Lastly, look up YouTube videos.

Search for "root att galaxy note Odin"

"flash PDA Odin"

" how to use clockwork mod"

"How to use titanium backup"

"androidcritics". (This guy does rom reviews on YouTube...he's a little young, but generally is real thorough....find his YouTube channel, and you'll be able to see what the most popular ROMs look like when they're installed and running on our device.

Lastly, if you like a really clean device, consider CM9 as a ROM, which is built from Google's open source code, and is built the way that Google intended android to be....it has no bloat ware (aside from a few must-have apps that our wonderful developers have decided are best used with their ROM), and is built to be customizable. For the moment the non-CM9 ROMs have a larger selection of mods, customization, Widgets, and apps, but CM9 really takes the cake. There are a couple downsides to CM9 though, and if you want me to elaborate, or would like a suggestion on a CM9 ROM (I've used almost every ROM ever made for our device) PM me, and I can come back to this thread, or talk to you in private.

Lastly again: Seriously. Don't be in a rush. Watch a ton of YouTube videos, and each time you do something (make a backup, root, install clockwork mod) read each thread, or watch each video 3 times. Let it sink in overnight, and then read 1 last time to make sure you have all the prerequisite files, and understand all of the steps.

And lastly, lastly, there are something like 4 versions of the galaxy note, including the international one. Ours has specific software. Using other version of the not e's software, or root/ flashing methods WILL brick your device! Everything you need is here, in this branch of the forum (look for i717 in the upper left hand corner before you follow any instructions...only follow instructions from, and watch videos from people who use the term "At&t galaxy note", "rogers galaxy note", or "sgh-i717" (sgh-i717r is the same).

I understand this is a lot, but it's all important. Feel free to ask questions (in the Q&A section of course) and plenty of us will be there to help you. Some people might flame you for not searching, but if the information in those threads that I linked to isn't clear enough, or you need more information, ignore them and ask. Everything you need is in the threads I gave you.