Scratch on thermal layer, Help.

[Paradoxx]

I just recieved my new 2.8ghz 800mhz FSB P4 and I installed the chip on the motherboard and took the heatsink\fan out of the box and noticed a small speck on the thermal interface material ( you know that gray stuff). So this being my first computer build I tried to dab it off with a soft cloth only I ended up rubbing off some of the gray material, not a lot just a little. I didn't know this stuff would come off. This speck turned out to be a bare spot where there was no material and now there is a thin line (thinner then a hair) of bare aluminum showing through the thermal material. I went ahead and installed the heatsink/fan but I havent powered up my new system yet.

Is this going to be a problem? should I get an RMA on this processor?

Thanks.

 

[bootoo]

Why not rma it? It just means 10 more days of happy anticipation.

If you don't, you'll kick yourself later. Think about selling this puppy in about six months! And it wasn't even your fault.

I'm not an rma hoochie but man, I'd send it back...

 

[GoHAnSoN]

Originally posted by: bootoo
Why not rma it? It just means 10 more days of happy anticipation.

If you don't, you'll kick yourself later. Think about selling this puppy in about six months! And it wasn't even your fault.

I'm not an rma hoochie but man, I'd send it back...

w00t ? RMA just to get a new thermal pad ? (am i reading this wrong ?)
scratch off those thermal pad , get yourself some el cheapo artic silver3 or something.

 

[pspada]

It's retarded to rma your chip for this. Like ^ said, you can remove the pad entirely, and put your own thermal grease on. This will probably work better than the pad anyway.

Lastly, there's nothing wrong with the chip itself. Call up Intel and ask for an RMA for this, they will laugh their a$$es off.

 

[Quackmaster]

Originally posted by: pspada
It's retarded to rma your chip for this. Like ^ said, you can remove the pad entirely, and put your own thermal grease on. This will probably work better than the pad anyway. Lastly, there's nothing wrong with the chip itself. Call up Intel and ask for an RMA for this, they will laugh their a$$es off.

I agree with these ^ ^ two guys. Thermal pads are crap anyways, get some Artic Silver Cermique. $5.00 and it'll drop your temps even more than AS3.