PS3 overhaul help

Model is original 60GB CECHA01. I am replacing the blu-ray laser, re-applying thermal paste, and installing a new (1TB) HDD. I have a few questions

1. Which thermal paste? Arctic Silver 5 or IC Diamond 7? (I have both so price or availability is not part of the decision)

2. How much? I have heard a pea size drop and I have heard rice size, which one is it? (I have decided to use the blob method)

3. Will the PS3 automatically format the new HDD? (I just got the PS3 so I have no important data on the current one)

4. Is static as much of a concern with a PS3 as it is with a computer?

p.s. I know 1TB is overkill, just it was a great deal and I couldn't pass it up.

thanks

Well i axctually found a working PS3 in a throw out lol, but anyways...
1- As long as you get a good brand of thermal paste theres a very small margin of difference. I would go with the diamond one though because it is non conductive.
2- Yes, a pea sized drop that will be enough to cover the whole chip once it has been compressed. obviously the bigger the chip the more paste is needed. You dont want to put too much, and you dont want to have not enough lol.
3- I believe you have to go to system settings and then simply go to hdd, then you format it from there.
4- Static is not much of a concern tbh. I personally have never used static protection and nothing bad has happened Nowdays all electrical things seem to be static proof

A pea size blob will most likely be too much. All you need is a very thin layer. It is better to spread it around than to let the heatsink spread it out as it is installed. I have a LGA2011 CPU in my PC. I didn't use nearly enough thermal grease to create a pea size blob.