CPU thermo paste

I am trying to build a PC. The retale box Intel E6400 CPU I bought from eBay had been opened and the thermo paste was not included with the CPU and the Heatsink/fan.
At the bottom of the heatsink, there is some kind of materials sort of printed on the shining smooth surface. ?Should I put the thermo paste onto this surp[hase or do I need to remove the material first?
Also, can I use the thermo paste coming with a third party heat sink/fan?

Thanks

 

That is the the thermal pad attached to the heat sink

 

You want shiny metal to shiny metal contact between the cpu and heatsink base with just the slightest bit of paste inbetween. If that material is a little sticky and was covered with plastic, that is a manufacturer-applied themal paste layer, no need for more. Most people put on way too much paste, I don't pay much attention to what brand I'm using but you should be fine with just about any thermal paste that is included with a well-known heatsink manufacturer.

 

If the cooler is a standard Intel cooler with a pre-applied thermal pad, DO NOT add any additional thermal compound.

 

Here are pics of the two types of thermal pads used on standard Intel coolers.

 

Some heat sinks come with a graphite compound that is grey and very soft.