What is this on the top of the CPU?

[African Dwarf Frog]

http://imgur.com/8FK28pF

I am cleaning out my overheating i7 laptop, and I am wondering what the metal bumps on top of my CPU (circled in the image) are. I specifically need to know if them being in contact with the heatsink could short them, because I foolishly removed some black tape that was placed on the heatsink that would have lined up just right to insulate them.

Any help is REALLY appreciated, thanks!

 

[Gam3r01]

They are a part of the cpu, im not sure what part but they are not supposed to be exposed to my knowledge. As for that tape it acts as thermal paste would on a desktop it seems, if you can put it back on do it.

 

[African Dwarf Frog]

They are a part of the cpu, im not sure what part but they are not supposed to be exposed to my knowledge. As for that tape it acts as thermal paste would on a desktop it seems, if you can put it back on do it.

Thanks for the response, but I have actually gotten some additional info from another source since posting this. In this case the tape was insulating, it wasn't used for conduction (there was a whole bunch of thermal compound I had cleaned off before snapping that picture). I definitely want to to get an insulating tape to cover up those components as I've been told I could definitely cause a short if my heatsink comes in contact with it.

I've been advised to go with Scotch Type 35 electrical tape which is apparently used on electrical components inside car engines, so it should be good for up to 105C, although I'm going to double check with my local electronics stores in the morning. I was also told to use a 100% metal TIM instead of something like Arctic Silver since laptop CPUs don't have a large IHS the way desktop CPUs do, and Arctic Silver could scratch it, which is apparently bad.

If anyone has any input on this advice it'd be appreciated. I won't actually have a chance to get stuff and do the work until Wednesday or possibly Thursday night EST. I'll update this thread and set it answered once I have results, on the off chance anyone finds this topic in the future and cares about the result.

 

[Gam3r01]

The tape and avoiding the Arctic is a good choice on the laptop. Those cpus are designed to not have the heatsink removed, so they can get scratched easily like you said. It sounds like you are all set, and I look forward to seeing how it goes.