I just got a brand new load of parts in for a computer I'm building.

I ordered a Gigabyte GA-7N400-L1 Motherboard and a AMD Athlon XP 2500 Processor.
I just got done putting it all together but when I turn the power on I get five beeps then the computer shuts down. According to the manual it says its a CPU problem.

I hope I didn't ruin it but I might of when I installed the heatsink which is a Coolermaster HAC-V81 Skt A/7/370 Copper Core Fan on it.

Theres a little sticker that goes over the bottom of the heatsink, and you put the thermal paste on top of the sticker. I then put the heatsink with the thermal gel on top of the processor. After I received the beeps I took the heatsink off to check the processor, and there was some of the white paste on top of the processor a little bit below the four rubber plates on the corners whre the heat sink sits, and a little paste right in the middle of the processor around a chip that the heatsink also touches.

I guess my question is, is it alright for the paste to acutally be on the top of the processor?
I know some people are probably lauging at me right now, but I wanna make sure I didn't ruin it. I'm hopeing that maybe its just a bad processor that I can return for another one. Or maybe the socket on the motherboard is bad?

btw: it is a ZIF socket. I believe I put it in right because it slid right in with now assistance from me.