Question 1

how do you plug this into a computer?   Sorry. yes that is a question.

Accepted Answer

If you are replacing the original hard drive in your computer, then you can use the existing SATA cable and power cable that were connected to the hard drive. If you are going this route, then you may want to mirror the existing hard drive first, unless you are planning to start from scratch.

If you are adding this as a secondary drive (to a desktop), then:
1)Open the computer and look at the two cables connected to your hard drive
2)Follow the cable #1 (wide and multi colored) to your power supply 
a.If there is an open power supply cord then you are all set, or you could try to cannibalize one from a dvd drive that is not being used.
3)Follow the cable #2 (SATA cable is slim and most likely black) to your motherboard
a.Check your motherboard and see if you have any SATA slots open on your motherboard (you may have 4 SATA slots with 2 unused, or cannibalize one again)
b.Buy an 8 inch SATA cable and connect the drive to the motherboard

Its fairly simple once you open the computer and trace the cables from the original hard drive.

Question 2

what does this do and is it necessary?

Accepted Answer

this is a solid state hard drive that replaces the standard spinning platter type disk drive. it provides faster access as there is no head seek timing, etc. many newer computers have provisions for accepting both a solid state drive (SSD) and a conventional drive so that you can load the OS on the SSD and limited other operations to help speed operation timing. as far as it being necessary, that would depend on your application and requirements. it isn't any more required than would be a regular hard drive, but either would work.

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