If the stock CPU fan has thermal compound paste pre-applied on it, do I need to apply it on the CPU again?

[vijay_001]

I see some youtube CPU tutorial videos where the CPU stock fan come with thermal compound paste pre-applied on it and the demonstrator install the fan without applying any more thermal paste on the CPU.

Is that okay? Or do I need to apply some more paste on the CPU?

 

[Thineswar]

that's enough.
you only need to apply once, either on the cpu or the cpu cooler.
however, if you do apply on both, nothing will be seriously damaged, it's just that, then there will be too much of thermal paste and it will spill all over your motherboard. and the next time you try to remove the cpu, some of the thermal paste might stick to the cpu socket on the motherboard, and that would be very difficult to remove.

 

[Paul NZ]

I've done the same thing with these.

Installed it with whats on the CPU. Never had any probs. They're still going today, 4-5 yrs after I installed them !

 

[g1abhi]

yes it is okay, you need to reapply only if you are removing the cooler and installing it or another one again