Switching motherboards

Yes, you will need to purchase some thermal compound. I reccomend Artic Silver 5 www.arcticsilver.com/as5.htm You will also find directions on their website on its proper application.

its also good to re-install a new copy of your o/s. backup your hdd before you do this though.

Since you're changing to a motherboard with a different chipset it's highly unlikely that your existing installation of Windows will boot. It's a good time to reinstall Windows which I think you should do from time to time anyway to clean out accumulated Windows debris. But if you want to avoid reinstalling Windows you can try the SYSPREP method. You run SYSPREP while still using your old motherboard. It basically strips Windows of all its drivers so they have to be rerecognized when you boot for the first time on your new motherboard.

Im kinda nervous adding this artic silver i have ordered it. Does my cpu already have some that i have to remove? or do i just add some? Also do i already have a thermal pad? i havent checked since my motherboard hasnt came im just confused and also is my ram gonna work. i have 512 mb ddr pc 2100. I also have 2x 256mb of sdram but dont know where to sell it any suggestions?

Your new mobo may well work with your current 512 pc2100, but it supports pc3200 (ddr400) in dual channel and I would suggest that you pick up a matched pair of 512 memory modules ( giving you 1 gig total (2 X 512)) to take advantage of the substantial gain in performace over your current memory. As for hesitation on the thermal compound, there is little to fear, AS5 will out perform the thermal pad that should be attached to the underside of the stock heatsink for your cpu....simply peel it off and clean it with 99% pure isopropyl alcohol and apply a small amout of compund to the center of the cpu the size of a grain of rice....follow the directions found on Artic Silver's website....the trick is simply not to appply too much and to not touch any of the components with your bare hands, the directions on the website are clear and easy to follow. As for selling your memory....ebay is as good a place as any