Installation Opinions--QUICK!!

Hey all,
I just got all my new components in the mail!!!!!
So I'm just starting to put everything together and I need some of your opinions and expertise...please.

Here is my new system...

P4 2.4B Ghz processor Retail
Pack date: 6/7/02 Stepping: SL67Z (I think...)
Abit IT7-MAX mobo
Corsair 512MB PC3200 CAS 2
Leadtek ti4400
Antec TruePower 430

And all the other stuff i'm reusing from my last computer

So here are my questions:

1. Should I scrape off the stock thermal pad on the hsf? And put
AS3 on there? And if I put AS3 on there, does that void my
warranty on the chip at all?

2. I'm actually building two computers...one for my bro-in-law
So I have a couple parts of everything including memory. My
my bro-in-law wanted corsair 512MB PC3200 CAS 2.5. When I
looked at both modules my PC3200C2 stick is version 1.1 and
his stick is version 2.1. Is there a version 2.1 of PC3200C2?
Would the PC3200 CAS 2.5 ver 2.1 be better than PC3200C2
ver 1.1?

I'm planning on overclocking a little...as far as I can on stock voltage (or slightly more but not much--maybe 1.6v). I'm hoping to hit 150 FSB which would put me at about 2.7 Ghz and DDR 400 CAS 2...

Any comments or help?

1) Yes clean the garbage off the heatsink, and no it does not VOID the CPU warenty, however overclocking the CPU does VOID the warenty of the CPU

2)The version of the RAM PCB is just an updated PCB by cosair...
not too much to get excited over, the newer version may be better, but it is nothing major. If it was, a recall on the other versions would have been put out.

I know this is nit-picking, but the SL67Z you listed is not the stepping, but rather that's the S-spec code. Definitely lose the crappy heat pad and use Arctic Silver. We would only be merely guessing if we told you what you could run using only stock voltage, but 2.7 gig should be within reach with only a modest vcore bump.

I would only take off the thermal pad on one of the heatsinks (the flattest one) and since you have 2 CPU's to play with once you get everything up and running you can try overclocking each one and see which one does better

Then for the brother-in-law (whose comp you probably should not overclock...at least I wouldn't especially if you will be tech support) just slap the stock heatsink on with the thermal pad.

Thanks for the reply's...
Sounds like I am going to use the as3 on my hsf. Especially because i may be taking it on and off a few times and the stock thermal pad sounds like it kinda bakes on there and is real hard to get off.

Get this, I'm actually building a system for my bro-in-law and my bro-in-law's friend. So I have 3 p4 2.4B chips on my hands right now...so hopefully out of those three, I can get one to got to 150 FSB on stock voltage... hopefully...

I still would like to hear some solid evidence that removing the stock themal pad doesn't void the warranty...