Rooting an android phone?

[Nickelob Ultra]

I started writing my post when Trinick's post was still the most recent one. I apologize for any redundancy I've caused.

Nah it's fine.  The more to help the merrier.

[Ad Bot]

[Trinick!]

You don't know what you're talking about.

When you root you don't change your OS, rooting is simply giving your phone access to files that were previously read-only. That's it.
Furthermore, I believe you're referring to firmware not, "operating system." Android is the operating system; when you flash custom firmware you are changing firmware versions. The operating system is going to be Android regardless of what ROM you use. An example of switching your OS would be somehow going from Android to iOS.
Do some research before you waltz into a thread acting like you're an expert on the subject.

I do know what I'm talking about, you apparently have no idea. Android is the kernel, the operating system is the version of Android. Firmware would be the bootloader on the phone, firmware refers to data loaded from non-volatile memory such as BIOS. The firmware (the bootloader) loads the kernel which proceeds to load the Operating System. The ROM you use is the Operating System based on the Android kernel. I may not be an Android guy but I am a low-level hardware guy and you're throwing around terms like firmware to describe things that are way higher level than firmware.

[ultimamax]

You don't know what you're talking about.

When you root you don't change your OS, rooting is simply giving your phone access to files that were previously read-only. That's it.
Furthermore, I believe you're referring to firmware not, "operating system." Android is the operating system; when you flash custom firmware you are changing firmware versions. The operating system is going to be Android regardless of what ROM you use. An example of switching your OS would be somehow going from Android to iOS.
Do some research before you waltz into a thread acting like you're an expert on the subject.

Now to answer the question at hand

I'm going to assume 100% that you're on Gingerbread, which means one click rooting will not work since Google removed the rageagainstthecage and Zerg Rush exploits. You're going to have to flash a custom recovery (unless you're on a locked recovery like I was, in that case any guides you find will give you the extra steps) then flash root in your new custom recovery.
Flashing your custom recovery will be achieved through either Odin or Heimdall, both of which have one-click versions in most cases. Odin is a very good way to brick your phone (make it useless) so you must use it with caution and follow the step-by-step instructions as carefully and precisely as possible. Samsung phones are pretty much unbrickable now with the existence of jigs but that's a whole other story, the point is don't give yourself the headache of unbricking.

There's a forum called XDA that I highly recommend you look up, they will have everything you need to get started if you choose to. Hope I helped.

Nope I'm on ICS.

[Nickelob Ultra]

Nope I'm on ICS.

Back up your data, boot into recovery (power button + volume up and down buttons), wipe your phone, turn off the phone.

Aw forget the forum is down for maintenance.  I was gonna post the link to the one-click rooter that sets you back to Gingerbread 2.3.4.  I was on ICS 4.0.4 and the one-click rooter via Odin worked fine.