Stuck on 2.1 update 1 would like to go Fresh ROM but can't

[Mr.Gadget]

I didn't want to hijack the Fresh ROM thread with my boneheaded problem, so here is what I've got...
I did an RUU and updated to the leaked 2.1 update 1 ROM last week. I like it for the most part, but there are some nagging issues that are prompting me to change. One of which is the lag time to answer a call. I have been missing calls sometimes because I cannot get it to answer fast enough. Anyway...
I did not root my device, but now I am trying to do so and cannot. I even ran the RUU to get back to stock Sprint ROM (1.56.651.2) but it failed.

Please help me get away from this leaked ROM! I would ideally like to put Fresh ROM on and have tried the Kitchen Root and the Unlockr root methods with no apparent luck. Kitchen Root causes my phone to reboot to a red exclamation point. I have to reboot again by pulling the battery and then it boots back to the 2.1 ROM.

The reason I think I have NOT rooted properly is my RA screen shows only the following:
HERC XC SHIP S-ON
HBOOT-1.47.0000 (HERO20000)
MICROP-0110
TOUCH PANEL-SYN0104
RADIO-2.42.00.03.10
Mar 1 2010, 16:02:39

CLEARSTORAGE
Delete all user data?
<ACTION> Yes

Here is the rest of my current device information, if it helps:

Firmware 2.1 Update1
Baseband version 2.42.00.03.10
Kernel version 2.6.29-d30020a8
Build number 2.20.651.1 CL157175 test-keys
Software number 2.20.651.1
Browser Webkit 3.1
PRI version 2.10_003
PRL version 60660

Hardware version 0002

I am running Windows 7 Professional 64-bit as well. HTC Sync does work.

Thanks in advance!