[nikhsub1]

Originally Posted by pHaestus

Well what about that then. Think one could reaffix an IHS acceptably well to make it worth putzing with? An extra TIM joint doesn't make me happy in the nether regions.

The discussion is good and it will probably prompt me to test a block w/ IHS and then pop it off for retesting.

Actually, this was quite common in the northwood days, people would pop the IHS, remove the crap TIM from intel and put Ceramique or AS-5 and would have quite good results... usually only 1-2C hotter than with no IHS. Some folks would cut out the socket from an old mobo, insert the CPU to the socket then use some sort of epoxy to seal the IHS back down to the PCB. They would then put massive weight (15-20 pounds maybe) on the CPU until the epoxy cured.