I'm about to do this repair, and I'm planning to use Honeywell PTM7950 SP rather than thermal paste. It occurred to me that maybe I should ask the experts if this is a good idea. PTM7950 has rave reviews on heat conductivity, and it appears that it will fit fine under the fan. But am I missing a problem that will come back to haunt me someday?

Okay. I think I've got it. In any event, I think that it will be quite clear once I've got the actual part installed and can see things in real life. Thanks for the help and for your quick responses!

Thanks! Very helpful

Maybe it's just me, but the difference between the good and bad pictures is not at all clear to me. Perhaps it will be easier to understand once my new battery has arrived, and I can examine it and the standoff. But I had hoped to get a good grasp on how to perform the repair while I was waiting for the battery's delivery.