My phone was stuck in boot loop for last 2-3 months.

Only way I have managed to get

the BEST and MOST COMPLETE CWM flashed was with SEMAPHORE cwm!

Idea was simple at the end!

WE NEED TO get phone on stock firmware BUT somehow to make the internal SD
operational again!

Steps!

ONLY PREREQ: BE ABLE TO ENTER "DOWNLOAD" MODE! and have the drivers installed on
your pc for your phone to be recognized.
* You can have an empty external SD card in the slot. No harm but better to remove
the SIM card if any.

- Use ODIN (i ve used Odin3 v1.83) to flash SEMAPHORE (Semaphore_ICS_1.3.0s.tar ).

No PIT file, No partitioning! Simply put the tar to PDA field and flash!
- Reboot into SEMAPHORE CWM and go to section with /data partition! YES! Select
size 2GB and SWAP the max 256MB when asked! Exit and restart!

- Enter DOWNLOAD mode again and now flash (you need to find the stock EU region
free firmware I9000XXJVU_I9000OXAJVU_OXA.zip which is actually split in 3 tar and
not just one!)
- ODIN 1.83 will automatically enable Re-Partition & Auto Reboot & F. Reset Time
when you flash 3 files! Leave ALL enabled! Everything else just leave as is and
apply below!
You need PIT file 512 for the PIT field!
Then:
i . PDA: CODE_I9000XXJVU_CL851880_REV03_user_low_ship.tar.m d5
i i . PHONE: MODEM_I9000XXJVU_REV_00_CL1092175.tar.md5
i i i . CSC: GT-I9000-CSC-MULTI-OXAJVU.tar.md5

FLASH above and your phone should come start up normally to STOCK XXJVY firmware!

Once you up and running and looking forward to flash you most wanted custom ROM
please always follow below procedure that I KNOW is mentioned over and over again!

1. ENABLE USB Debugging! (for CM 10.1 users its hidden in MODEL # in about section
of settings (press 7 times)

2. ALLOW apps from unknown sources for installing ROM Manager etc

3. Root the phone by flushing with ODIN the CF-Root-XX_OXA_JVU_2.3.6-v4.3-

CWM3RFS.tar in PDA field! - Simple but effective you will be rooted and CWM!

4. Copy your new ROM zip to the external SD.

5. Enter CWM. IMPORTANT: a. Wipe/Factory reset! b. Wipe Cache c. Enter Advanced and
WIPE Dalvik Cache! (ALWAYS DO THE 3 steps prior flashing new firm)

6. Now you can select your ROM zip from file on ext sd card and flush it. * If you
have custom rom like CM 10.1 and you want the Gapps now its the time to do it just
after ROM flash finished! - You need to select correct GAPP based on the custom rom
you will apply. ICS with ICS GAPPS, JB with JB GAPPS

THE BEST/STABLE/FAST/NET OK/CAM OK etc firmware with great boot i highly recommend
is ICS_4.0.3_MR1-RC4.2_I9000.zip . Try it on your GT-i9000 after above procedure
and I think you will be the happiest man! Extremely FAST and GREAT Battery
handling!
PS I tried latest CM 10.1 but not as fast as above! Not needed in my opinion on the
GT-i9000!

Thats all folks!