WOOT! I got a case fan and put new thermal compound on my CPU and it is a lot cooler! It went down by almost 15 degrees Celsius. I'll play a game and see how hot it gets.

Cool, (pun intended )

I had no idea they called this glorified vasoline thermal compound....hmmm, i wonder if it a C5 or C6, anyway..i thought here or in another post i picked up that the thermal compounds couold have serious differences, brand to brand, in their ablity to conduct heat. Are there any brands to avoid for sure, and any you're almost always safe with? other than artic fox? like the one i'm holding right now, about to put on my CPU...dynex? is it bad?

I will be keeping a steady eye on the temp but i won't get a temp gauge. I live in Arizona and its summer, sorry for stating the obvious and you HAVE to keep air moving around these babies or, under gaming and certain circumstances you will fry 'em. IF you overclocked it, which i won't do. BUT, i do belive that no overclocking it and letting it run hot, dooms you to an earlier replacement. I think if you work the hell out of em in a hot room, its performance goes down faster and it hits the curb sooner