Root Samsung Epic Galaxy 4G (SPH-D700) on FC09 Gingerbread? I have been searching for a while and am trying to figure out if I can root the SPH-D700 on the FC09 update. I just cant find any information regarding that. 

Id like to Root the phone, either if I have to update or downgrade, and even preferably be able to flash CyanogenMod 9, and update to ICS. 
I know this is possible on the phone, I just dont know if this FC09 update will prevent this or something. 

I am trying to familiarize myself with this phone as its my freind's phone, and I am trying to root it for him, as he is still sitting with stock, and needs root for a few features. 

So what do you guys believe would be the best way to go about this? Should I just get a root image of an earlier update to downgrade? and then just do the updates after I am rooted? 

I am just not sure where I should start. Been searching this for most of the day, I just cant seem to find a definite answer yet. 

Thanks for your time guys, Hope we can work this out.
Just about every Samsung device can be flashed with Odin, regardless of what firmware is installed on it at the time. For specific instructions you can refer to this XDA thread, which explains how to flash a rooted FC09 image:


  
  put your device into Download Mode  
  Connect to your computer and make sure ODIN recognizes your device
  Flash the Clockworkmod.tar.md5. Make sure EVERYTHING is unchecked INCLUDING AUTOREBOOT!!!!  
  Once ODIN does its thang, unplug your phone and pull the battery  
  Now reboot into CWM Recovery by pressing and holding the power button, camera, and volume down button until the capacitive buttons at the bottom show  
  Now locate the ROM.zip. It should be called DeodexedFC09.zip  
  Wipe Data/Factory Reset, Wipe Cache Partition, Wipe Dalvik Cache, and if you want Wipe Batt Stats  
  Now reboot, and you should be running Stock Rooted FC09!  
  
  
  ODIN: http://www.mediafire.com/?66csfeo1ce95ysw
  
  CWM TAR: http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1357655
  
  Stock FC09: http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1580931


You should be able to get the Epic into download mode by doing the following:


  You enter download mode by shutting device completely off. Then open
  the physical keyboard press and hold the 1 key and then press power
  for a few seconds.


Downgrading, rooting, and then updating seems unnecessarily complicated. The updates probably wouldn't apply on their own once the device was rooted, so you'd need to install them manually anyway. You might as well just install the image you want straight away instead, whether that's a stock one like the above linked image or CyanogenMod.