Question 1

Does this Intel SSD come with a SATA cable included in the box?

Accepted Answer

no

Question 2

Will this Intel 545s 256GB 2.5" SSD work well with an Intel Pentium D946GZIS mobo?

Accepted Answer

I use these all the time with my mining rigs.  I haven't found any boards that they don't work with.

Question 3

Can you migrate a 500GB hard drive (75gb used) down to a 256gb ssd with the software included?

Accepted Answer

There are several free software solutions available on the Internet that can migrate an operating system from a larger drive to a smaller one, so long as the space required comfortably fits on the smaller drive.  Obviously, in your example, 75 GB will easily fit on a 256 GB SSD.  One software that I use (and have used for many years) is the free version of MiniTool Partition Wizard.  It is reliable and reputable, and has a number of powerful disk management features.  Very highly recommended to add it to your tool box and learn how to use it properly.  And, yes, it has a specific function to migrate an operating system from a hard drive to a solid state drive that is smaller (so long as the total amount of data fits) such as you are asking.

CAUTION: any disk management tool can cause serious problems if you do not use it correctly.  I would emphasize that you carefully read the instructions on how to use its features to prevent any tragedies.  However, basic cloning and migration is not that difficult so long as stay focused on exactly what you are doing.  Be VERY certain that you select the source disk correctly and the target disk correctly, make sure to migrate ALL partitions, especially the hidden ones, when cloning your operating system to a new drive.  Even if you don't and the system boots when you first clone, weeks or months later you may encounter problems if data on the missing partitions isn't available.

Question 4

Will this drive work in a Dell DXP051 XPS 400 Windows XP Pro about a 2003 model?

Accepted Answer

Windows XP cannot use all the features of a solid state drive.  In particular, the TRIM function (which regulates wear & tear and evens out the read-write load on specific sections of the memory) is unavailable.  It's best to use an operating system that is at least as modern as Windows 7.

That said, an SSD usually works in Windows XP, although specific models sometimes won't.  And, yes, you will get large speed benefits out of it when compared to a normal mechanical hard drive.  The disadvantage is that you may not get top performance out of it, and it's life expectancy may be shortened depending on how you use it.  Also to keep in mind, what SATA protocol does your system use?  If it is SATA II, you will be limited to SATA II speeds.  If it is SATA III, you will make better use of the SSDs capabilities.  At a guess, a 2003 model computer is probably limited to SATA II.  It is possible it may even be SATA I, in which case an SSD would be pretty crippled and you will only see minimal performance gains.

Question 5

Can we use this on a Macbook Pro 2013 model ?

Accepted Answer

Macbook Pro 2013 uses a proprietary SSD. This will not work.

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