Many Malaysian users has reported after upgrading their Galaxy Note from Android 2.3.5 to 2.3.6 ( KL3 firmware ), they are unable to root and install clockworkmod recovery based on Zergrush exploit and Chainfire steps. This is the solution which I have found after testing several methods :
First you need to downgrade your firmware back to 2.3.5. Download your firmware from http://www.sammobile.com or from XDA , eg XXK1
Unzip the rom zip to tar format , eg you will see file like this : N7000UBKK2_N7000UBKK1_N7000UUBKK2_HOME.tar.md5
Copy this file to your phone internal SD Card or external SD card
Switch off phone, boot to download mode through the 3 hard buttons , pressing it simultaneously : Vol down+Home+Power. When you see the warning message, select VOL UP to boot into download mode. Connect phone to PC. Launch ODIN 1.85 on PC. Click on the Odin link if you have not installed it on your PC.
Select the rom zip tar file as PDA and leave th else as default. Select START. the flash will take about a minute to two. The phone will reboot within 5-6 minutes with the new rom installed
Now, you are ready to root it and have Chainfire ClockworkMod installed
ROOT the phone using Zergrush exploit:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1329360
Download the appropriate Chainfire kernel file from here : make sure you download the file matching your kernel
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1331784
Once your phone is rooted and with CWM installed , you can now proceed to use Mobile Odin ( download this app from Market ) to flash the 2.3.6 Msian firmware :
Download the 2.3.6 firmware you need , eg KL3 or KL7 or KL8
Download the appropriate Chainfire kernel file matching to the firmware you need
Launch Mobile Odin
Select OPEN FILE – and browse and choose the stock 2.3.6 firmware tar file
You will see a listing of all the files selected : kernel, system, data, modem etc etc
Replace the kernel file with the CWM extracted tar file ( MUST be in tar format ). DO NOT overextract the file to become zimage. The file extracted one level down should read something like this : example CF-Root-SGN_ZS_MUL_KK1-v5.0-CWM5.tar – note the file extension is tar
Select flash firmware
Your phone is now successfully rooted and will have CWM installed
Benny Lee MN's RANTS 
Edoras
January 11, 2012
Instead of using Mobile Odin to upgrade Stock ROM and maintain root, why not straight upgrade to Custom ROM which is already at 2.3.6?
The pre-rooted Custom ROM 2.3.6 is much better that Stock 2.3.6, right?
leemn
January 11, 2012
The problem is those users who has upgraded officially to say KL3 cannot have root and CWM installed. So no way to use CWM to flash the prerooted 2.3.6 rom. Only by using Mobile Odin can you flash CWM on it
leemn
January 11, 2012
And these instructions specifically for those who want to use stock firmware but wants it rooted and have CWM
Edoras
January 12, 2012
You are very helpful in the Forum. I am very grateful because now I can do my own rooting and flashing new custom ROMs even though I am just 1 month old using Android.
I also understand the frustration answering repeated questions in the Forum and I think this Blog post is the best way to avoid answering the repeated question. But being a newbie, some people don’t know the concept of rooting and the conditions for rooting.
See my recommendation in the Forum – creating new and dedicated thread for Rooting SGN. WHat do you think?
Zaymes Ho
January 16, 2012
Thanks for the guide, quite shock to see that newer firmware and kernel so hard to root
Cyrus
January 21, 2012
Hi, how come when i extracted the la4 kernel from cfroot 1 level down but still cannot get the tar format u mentioned. Only zip with tar type file. And do i need a fullwipe if i come from chrisx la3 rom? Plan to go back to stock rom + root only. Really need ur help. Thanks
leemn
January 21, 2012
Cyrus : I downloaded the LA4 chainfire kernel file and extracted it one level down , i get : CF-Root-SGN_XX_OXA_LA4-v5.0-CWM5.tar
If you did not get this means you have over extracted it. If you flash to stock rom using Odin , normally your phone will be wipe. there is no harm to wipe it first before flashing
Anonymous
January 28, 2012
is downgrading from 2.3.6 to 2.3.5 will wipe off all the apps and data?
ernest
February 7, 2012
will this leave a yellow triangle using odin? i heard galaxy note has a counter and cannot be reset
leemn
February 7, 2012
Ernest : No yellow triangle and no increase in flash counter. You will only have this if you flash it from PC using Odin on any unsecured kernel or cooked rom
Anonymous : downgrading to official stock rom will wipe phone usually
ernest
February 7, 2012
lemm: thank you for your response .you said ” you will only have this if you flash it from PC using Odin” but isn’t you method using PC? requesting us to download ODIN 1.85? sorry im quite confused
leemn
February 7, 2012
ernest : read again I said if you ” flash it from PC using Odin on any unsecured kernel or cooked rom”. Flashing a official stock rom will not have yellow triangle
Anonymous
February 11, 2012
Thanks Uncle Benny for your guide!
Anonymous
February 19, 2012
i have Galaxy note 2.3.6 and latest firmware,the touchwiz keeps on crashing and it seems there is issue with stablility of twlauncher and 2.3.6 as I find most of phones in Singapore running 2.3.5 are very stable.I am thinking of downgrading to 2.3.5
Can I downgrade my phone to 2.3.5 ..and if yes how ?
leemn
February 19, 2012
It is rare that on 2.3.6 TWiz will crash – check your 3rd party apps – delete any cracked apps if you have installed. At forum lowyat – I have yet to hear of any user including me of such crashes. Infact 2.3.6 is a much better build – it is way much smoother an faster than 2.3.5
You can refer to this XDA link to download the older 2.3.5 :
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1424997
Just flash it back from recovery mode : wipe data/factory reset, wipe cache partion and wipe dalvik cache at advanced before you select the rom zip. If the rom does not come in a CWM flashable zip – than use ODIN in PC to flash it
Anonymous
February 22, 2012
Hi sir!,,nice tutorial.!
I just wonder if im gonna downgrade my rom to 2.3.5, what old rom will i download?. i already forget my original stock rom after i update it to 2.3.6. currently, i have LA1.
leemn
February 22, 2012
You can use KK1
Anonymous
February 22, 2012
Thanks for the fast reply!One more question,, is it safe to use PC Odin?.. what should be my precautions to remember during performing those operations?.. many thanks again!
leemn
February 22, 2012
You can use Odin in PC but when you use it to flash insecure kernel , or cook rom your flashing counter will increase and in some cases you will have yellow triangle during bootup. Using Mobile Odin will not have such issues
nelson
February 22, 2012
there is a new write up. more recent at
http://www.mod2xtreme.com/showthread.php?p=50190
question is, does this supersede all the earlier instructions about rooting LA1? the write up doesn’t include downgrade. its just direct root.
sorry for my silly question. the last time I rooted my HD2 was straight forward n simple.
pls response. thanks a million
leemn
February 22, 2012
This is just rooting and you will not have CWM installed. If you want CWM – you need to downgrade as per my posting
ghost
March 28, 2012
based on the website. it say that it will include all root and cwm. so,i quite dont understand uncle benny said that to have cwm need downgrade..
newbies here. dont have fast internet to download 500+mb for downgrade.
thanks.
anb6
February 25, 2012
uncle..what do you mean by ->
Once your phone is rooted and with CWM installed , you can now proceed to use Mobile Odin ( download this app from Market ) to flash the 2.3.6 Msian firmware :
Download the 2.3.6 firmware you need , eg KL3 or KL7 or KL8
Download the appropriate Chainfire kernel file matching to the firmware you need
do i download the firmware and chainfire kernel setting using the mobile odin or download it tru pc?sorry..newbies here….
leemn
February 25, 2012
You download it in pc. Then copy it over to phone. Or you can download using browser in phone
anb6
February 25, 2012
uncle..regarding the 2.3.6..can i just download which ever 2.3.6 firmware..i think i want to upgrade to la6..or just stick with the la1?thanx in advance..
leemn
February 27, 2012
You can download any 2.3.6 firmware – use the latest LB1 or at least LA6
Jason
March 8, 2012
hello… i read all those comment. come out thsi question. how do we unroot and remove the CWM if we want to get back the original state? Thanks.
leemn
March 9, 2012
Just flash back stock official rom using Odin in pc
Allan Tky
March 12, 2012
thanks alot !
Skyjar
April 11, 2012
How to Convert my galaxy not to another android version nd I dont know how to do it…. Can someone help me