Passed LX0-104 today!
AverageJoe
Member Posts: 316 ■■■■□□□□□□
in Linux+
I'm not a Linux guy. I used to "sorta" be a Unix guy years ago, but it's been a long time. I didn't realize how much I'd forgotten until I started looking at the Linux+ cert. I didn't need this for work or anything. Wanted to try it "just because."
For LX0-103, I studied two books: the AiO by Robb Tracy and the lighthouse by Bresnahan and Blum. I also set up a couple of VMs to play in, focusing mostly on a Mint VM. I went into the exam feeling very prepared and was surprised at how hard it was and relieved to score a 550 (need a 500 to pass).
Feeling like I needed to try a different prep strategy for LX0-104, I used uCertify and CompTIA's CertMaster online prep systems. Big difference!
First, both the Tracy and the Brashahan/Blum books covered both tests, and while a lot of chapters focused all or mostly on one exam or the other, there was overlap and interlacing (especially in the Tracy book), making it a bit difficult for me to compartmentalize which material was important for which test.
The uCertify and CertMaster lessons were specifically for LX0-104 (there are also LX0-103 options, but they are distinctly separate). The books may be a good approach if you want to take both exams at the same time, but the focused uCertify and CertMaster lessons suited my needs better and I wish I would have used them for the 103 exam.
Both uCertify and CertMaster impressed me. I'd seen negative comments about both here, and I was leery to use them, but I'm glad I did. For this exam I didn't do any VM stuff, but uCertify has some command line simulations.
uCertify gave me the best overall Linux knowledge base. I think I could have passed LX0-104 just with the uCertify material.
CertMaster really prepared me for the "feel" of the test, though. The questions seemed very similar in presentation and type. I'm not sure I could have passed just using CertMaster, but I found it very helpful as a secondary prep source. I didn't realize how helpful until I was taking the test.
Together, they made the test seem pretty easy.
My score wasn't awesome or anything. Got a 680, but I finished in like 28 minutes and felt very confident that I'd done well. As I clicked through the final screens I was pretty sure I'd scored over a 700, and was surprised to only get a 680. I must have gone through some of the questions too fast (I don't review questions afterwards... I believe you either know it or you don't, so move on. In this case, I maybe should have moved a little slower, but it worked out okay).
Okay, that's my story. As always, YMMV.
Joe
For LX0-103, I studied two books: the AiO by Robb Tracy and the lighthouse by Bresnahan and Blum. I also set up a couple of VMs to play in, focusing mostly on a Mint VM. I went into the exam feeling very prepared and was surprised at how hard it was and relieved to score a 550 (need a 500 to pass).
Feeling like I needed to try a different prep strategy for LX0-104, I used uCertify and CompTIA's CertMaster online prep systems. Big difference!
First, both the Tracy and the Brashahan/Blum books covered both tests, and while a lot of chapters focused all or mostly on one exam or the other, there was overlap and interlacing (especially in the Tracy book), making it a bit difficult for me to compartmentalize which material was important for which test.
The uCertify and CertMaster lessons were specifically for LX0-104 (there are also LX0-103 options, but they are distinctly separate). The books may be a good approach if you want to take both exams at the same time, but the focused uCertify and CertMaster lessons suited my needs better and I wish I would have used them for the 103 exam.
Both uCertify and CertMaster impressed me. I'd seen negative comments about both here, and I was leery to use them, but I'm glad I did. For this exam I didn't do any VM stuff, but uCertify has some command line simulations.
uCertify gave me the best overall Linux knowledge base. I think I could have passed LX0-104 just with the uCertify material.
CertMaster really prepared me for the "feel" of the test, though. The questions seemed very similar in presentation and type. I'm not sure I could have passed just using CertMaster, but I found it very helpful as a secondary prep source. I didn't realize how helpful until I was taking the test.
Together, they made the test seem pretty easy.
My score wasn't awesome or anything. Got a 680, but I finished in like 28 minutes and felt very confident that I'd done well. As I clicked through the final screens I was pretty sure I'd scored over a 700, and was surprised to only get a 680. I must have gone through some of the questions too fast (I don't review questions afterwards... I believe you either know it or you don't, so move on. In this case, I maybe should have moved a little slower, but it worked out okay).
Okay, that's my story. As always, YMMV.
Joe
Comments
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shochan
Member Posts: 1,013 ■■■■■■■■□□
CHEERS! Congrats!CompTIA A+, Network+, i-Net+, MCP 70-210, CNA v5, Server+, Security+, Cloud+, CySA+, ISC² CC, ISC² SSCP -
p@r0tuXus
Member Posts: 532 ■■■■□□□□□□
Congratulations! Thanks for the awesome write-up and recommendations on those testing programs and books. I'll need to incorporate as much as I can when I'm ready to prepare for the exams. I'm still slowly learning that material at the moment. Kind of got side-tracked. Can you tell me how long your time-frame for preparation was and how you focused on the rote memorization of the LX-103 exam objectives? Flash cards, apps, mnemonics?Completed: ITIL-F, A+, S+, CCENT, CCNA R|S
In Progress: Linux+/LPIC-1, Python, Bash
Upcoming: eJPT, C|EH, CSA+, CCNA-Sec, PA-ACE -
AverageJoe
Member Posts: 316 ■■■■□□□□□□
Sure, I forgot to mention that for 103 I used Mnemosyne to make my own flashcards, mostly from review questions in the books. For 104 I didn't make any flashcards or anything since CertMaster already uses memorization through repetition as its main focus. For 103 I studied about an hour a day for 2 months. For 104 I studied for about 2 hours a day for 10 days.
I think one big difference between the two exams for me is that 104 included both scripting and SQL, two areas that I'm familiar with and enjoy. -
Dakinggamer87
Member Posts: 4,016 ■■■■■■■■□□
Congrats!!
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