Herbert,

That is the thermal past under the green protective screen. You will need to remove the green film and then when the processor heats up the paste will melt. Also, with adding another processor in the server you are opening up the second bank of dimms as well. Are you adding memory as well or spreading them to the second bank?

Hi Chris,

Thanks for the fast reply, i have placed 4 x 8 gig RIMMS into A1, A2, B1,B2.

So just to confirm i can go ahead and place the brand new processor inside the socket and then remove the green cover from the heat sink and place it on the processor carfully and clip it in....when the server is switched on, it will all melt into place?  No wiping or extra thermal gell required...it is all aready there!

Herbert,

When you place the processor in place, you will have 2 clips to hold it down, then you place the heat sink and use the 2 light blue clips to secure it.

No extra grease required, unless at some point you remove the heat sink after it has melted into place. Then it is good practice to replace it.

It was mentioned by Brainysa that the processor also has some hardened past on it.

Is this normal with a new server grade processors and if so shouldn't it be protected by some removable plastic film?

Or is it that the processor is from a used system and must be cleaned using isopropal alcohol before installing the heatsink?

Thanks skylarking, i was wondering about that.  It would be wrong if i was paying for a brand new processor but somebody else has already used it.  I assumed that this was the past that came with a new processor (Even though there was no cover) and that when the heat was applied by the switching on the server, it would bond from both sides using both thermal gell surfaces.

Some feedback would be appreciated.

My desktop experience tells me that too much or too little thermal paste is a bad thing as it needs to be just right. That's why so many desktop heat sinks already come with the paste pre-applied and protected by plastic film. Also note that when changing CPUs, absolute cleanliness is very important as is protection from static discharge (which is why i use an anti static wrist strap) :).

If i am installing a used desktop CPU, i clean the CPU before inserting into the mobo, then clean the CPU again just before installing a new heat sink (remembering to removing the plastic film protecting the paste on a new heat sink base). If i reuse an old heat sink, i first clean the CPU and heat sink prior to installation, then inserting the CPU and clean again just before applying thermal paste and attaching the again cleaned heat sink. I use isopropol alcohol as the cleaning fluid along with a lint free cloth (not paper or tissue). Being pedantic like this removes doubt about a good bong between CPU and heat sink. 

Now i assume the same process should be used on a Dell server CPU install but one Dell document, e.g. Information Update Processor Installation April 2009 Revision A00 (for T610), indicates at step 11 'using a lint free cloth remove the thermal grease from the heat sink" just under their note about new heat sink then continue with directions on how to apply all the thermal grease that came with your Dell CPU kit. No mention whether a new Dell heat sink has thermal paste already applied, is protected by plastic film which must be removed, or that a  used CPU must also be cleaned before applying any thermal paste! Seems

Dells view seems to be that one only ever installs newly purchased Dell CPUs and tosses their old CPUs in the rubbish rather than redeploying them to other multi socket chassis. This seems typical of Dell, new equipment or parts or configurations are released but nobody within Dell seems to place any importance on updating their own documentation to reflect these changes or the actual customer behaviors on the ground!