P4 retail heatsink installation?

[UltimaParadox]

The p4 heatsink contains a silver type sticker on the bottom. Rather than the black heat pad.

I see nothing about removing it, wondering about peoples experiences with it.

 

[E4g1e]

That silver/black sticker on your retail boxed P4 heatsink is the TIM (Thermal Interface Material). Don't remove it even if it seems loose!

 

[coz]

My 3.2C had a grey square of goo on the bottom and it seems to be doing a fairly good job surprisingly (stock speed, case-27*C, Idle-32*C, load-53*C). I noticed (on a different 3.2C) that it kind of melts after the CPU gets up to operating temperature and thus forms a much better/thinner fit between HSF and IHS. It certainly seems better than the black square TIM (the silver foil sticker covered in black carbon powder or something) I've seen numerous times on slower P4s.

 

[j3ff86]

Just leave it unless you plan on doing major overclocking in which case you should just get a better heatsink.

 

[UltimaParadox]

My 3.2C had a grey square of goo on the bottom and it seems to be doing a fairly good job surprisingly (stock speed, case-27*C, Idle-32*C, load-53*C). I noticed (on a different 3.2C) that it kind of melts after the CPU gets up to operating temperature and thus forms a much better/thinner fit between HSF and IHS. It certainly seems better than the black square TIM (the silver foil sticker covered in black carbon powder or something) I've seen numerous times on slower P4s.

Ah thanks that helped me out a bunch... I knew about the black heat padding, but this was the first time I have built an Intel system for someone in a while and havent seen the silver before.