Installing a i7 860 Thermal Compound Question

My first build. I will start tomorrow after my motherboard comes in. I have a simple question. When installing the CPU should I apply thermal compound. I will be installing a corsair H50 liquid cooling system. I have noticed that the back of the Cooler has a layer on it already. I will be overclocking this when finished. Thanks

if the cooler already has it on there, i'd use that.... unless you have some arctic silver.

I want an h50 ! I've seen a couple other brands w\ the same type of setup and i'm diggin it.

If there's thermal material on there already then the heatsink has been designed to use it and it should work OK. But there's nothing stopping you from removing it and putting your own on if you think it will do a better job.

If I were you I think what I'd do is just use the existing material, and if you don't seem to be getting the temperatures you want then you still have the option of taking it apart, removing the old thermal stuff and applying your own.