How to tell if there is a thermal paste?

[julionavarro]

How can I know if the CPU cooler has a thermal paste without screwing up? If it has and I remove it I might break it.

 

[ThatVietGuy]

Is it a prebuilt? If it is there's guaranteed to be thermal paste applied.

 

[USAFRet]

The only way to determine the state of any thermal paste is to remove the CPU cooler.

And when you do, you must clean all the old goop off and reapply before reinstalling the cooler.

 

[ShadyHamster]

What cpu cooler do you have installed?
All stock coolers come with pre-applied paste.
Most after market coolers come with a syringe of paste you have to apply yourself, a few have pre-applied paste, eg: Corsairs AIO watercoolers.

 

[USAFRet]

Addendum to my above:
It almost certainly exists. Is it good? Unknown.

 

[hunter315]

Are your temps decent? If so there is paste applied. If you leave off the paste you will get pretty awful temperatures, pretty much any paste will work magic compared to no thermal paste, even using mayo as your paste will cut 27C off compared to no paste based on the HW secrets testing!
http://www.hardwaresecrets.com/article/Thermal-Compound-Roundup-February-2012/1490/5

 

[julionavarro]

Yes it is prebuilt, thanks to everybody