478 socket question - thermal paste

[ThatFatCat5]

this is my first time building a computer so im going to need help...

well, my first question on these forums relates to my 1.8GHz socket 478 processor i just got. I found out that it needs to be cooled and all. So i looked up some heatsinks and what not and what concerns me is that thermal paste stuff. It says to put it on the metal part of the processor, but here's the problem, there is no metal part on my processor, its the silicon looking stuff with a mirror kindof thing in the middle. So im worried that if i put the thermal paste on it that it will ruin it, but it I don't put it on there my processor could be damaged in as little as 4 seconds (according to casecooling.com)

So what am i supposed to do? Buy paste or not?

[Thrax]

The mirror kind of thing in the middle is your core, and it's made of metal. It goes there and nowhere else.

[ThatFatCat5]

phew, thank you so much!

[Geeky1]

This is assuming that the heatsink doesn't have thermal paste or a thermal pad pre-applied. If it does, you don't need or want to add any more.

[ThatFatCat5]

when purchasing the heat sink, will it say if it has the thermal paste? or do i have to wait and find out?

[Geeky1]

It may or may not; what heatsink(s) were you looking at?

[ThatFatCat5]

this one

http://www.censuspc.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Product_Code=SP414S8-1&Category_Code=S478FAN

[Geeky1]

last line:
"Thermal type White grease pre-applied"

You won't need to buy any as long as you don't touch what's on there when you're installing the heatsink. Be aware that you'll need to have some on hand should you ever remove the heatsink though.

[primesuspect]

Eh, it says right on there "thermal paste pre-applied"......

[ThatFatCat5]

Thanks

(phew, topic done!)