Failed... TWICE!!

So I've failed 70-270 twice now. Very disappointing. I seem to be stuck in the 500's and not progressing.

What tools have you all used that have been helpful? I have the MS Press book & lab book, Self-Test software and the Readiness Review that comes on the XP Materials CD from the press book. I feel that neither the Self-Test nor the Readiness Review questions are designed like the exam's. I think that having a program or otherwise that accurately mocks the actual exam could benefit me since this is my first MS exam and I'm still not too used to their style.

NOTE: I am broke, so I have no way of paying for any study materials. I know that probably makes my selection close to non-existent.

Thanks

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Comments

Slowhand

One question: how much hands-on experience do you have administrating and managing Windows XP? (And that doesn't mean just having it installed on your machine and using it, but actually digging into all the capabilities that XP Pro has, including when it's hooked up to a Server 2003 domain.)

If you're a little shaky, I'd say that your best bet would be to go and grab a copy of Virtual PC and set up a little virtual lab of XP Pro and Server 2003 machines. Once you have a virtual lab, try setting up some of the scenarios you see in your book(s), play around with the different features, and really get comfortable with the technology. If you need more help, check out the e-learning page on Microsoft's website. They've got some free training and virtual labs that might help you on your road to passing your tests.

Lee H

Hi

I passed first time with a score of around 730, read Sybex book only once.

I did have years of experiance with XP before hand, i am having the same trouble as you with Server 2003 exam, i have failed that 3 times. lack of hands on knowledge with 2003 has made it very difficult to completely understand everything you need to know for the exam.

I guess it just takes time to sink in, when your ready you will know. I was confident about XP but have never been about 2003, and now i am out of the exam race until such time i have gained experience of 2003.

hope this helps

Lee H

tonermonkey

Everyone learns differently but this method has always worked for me; Get at least 2 different books to study from as one book always seems to leave out something. I usually get a thick book like a MS Press book and a thinner more condensed one like a Mike Myers Passport or Exam2Cram. I'll start out studying the big thick book, taking hand written notes on each chapter. I'll then type up the notes as I go along. I find this way I retain the material a lot better than by just reading through once. After finishing the larger book I'll usually just read through the smaller book shortly before I take the test as a refresher for anything left our or forgotten. I try to get as much hands on as possible. It helps working in IT, but I also set up a lab at home to cover anything we don't implement at work. I'll usually take the practice exams before I start studying to ascertain how much knowledge I have of the material to begin with, and I will take them again periodically to see how I'm progressing as I study. I always take the practice exams in cert mode so they don't give me the answers. This way I know I'm actually learning the material and not just memorizing the answers. Then shortly before I take the exam I will take it in study mode to find out what questions I'm missing and why. Using this method I've passed all the exams I've taken the first time (except 70-291 which I passed the 2nd time).

Don't get too discouraged. The first time I took an MS exam I thought the questions were really tough compared to the comptia exam questions. After a while you get used to how MS thinks and words their questions and it's a lot easier.

Hope this helps, sorry I rambled on for so long.

core_os

I also embarrassingly did fail twice as well but I wish to pass for the third time convincingly, just pay attention and study hard and dont give up.
Good Luck for u and me.
Cheers

BigLou

tonermonkey wrote:

Everyone learns differently but this method has always worked for me; Get at least 2 different books to study from as one book always seems to leave out something. I usually get a thick book like a MS Press book and a thinner more condensed one like a Mike Myers Passport or Exam2Cram. I'll start out studying the big thick book, taking hand written notes on each chapter. I'll then type up the notes as I go along. I find this way I retain the material a lot better than by just reading through once. After finishing the larger book I'll usually just read through the smaller book shortly before I take the test as a refresher for anything left our or forgotten. I try to get as much hands on as possible. It helps working in IT, but I also set up a lab at home to cover anything we don't implement at work. I'll usually take the practice exams before I start studying to ascertain how much knowledge I have of the material to begin with, and I will take them again periodically to see how I'm progressing as I study. I always take the practice exams in cert mode so they don't give me the answers. This way I know I'm actually learning the material and not just memorizing the answers. Then shortly before I take the exam I will take it in study mode to find out what questions I'm missing and why. Using this method I've passed all the exams I've taken the first time (except 70-291 which I passed the 2nd time).

Don't get too discouraged. The first time I took an MS exam I thought the questions were really tough compared to the comptia exam questions. After a while you get used to how MS thinks and words their questions and it's a lot easier.

Hope this helps, sorry I rambled on for so long.

Which book did you use?

gregrnel

I felt that after going through the Sybex book a couple times that the Transcender practice exams really prepared me. I had no idea what these tests were like at all and these practice exams really were the reason I passed the 1st time. Basically, if you can go through Transcender exams and get 80% and above, you should do fine. Go through each question and not only think through why the correct answer works, but also why the other answers are wrong......yup, they're pricey but money well spent IMHO.

BigLou

I bought the Windows XP book from Microsoft Press, read each chapter 3 times and now I am just doing the practice exams (in certification and adpative mode) in order to prepare for the test. I am the type of person who can read things 10 times over but there is still going to be a lot of info I dont retain. Thus, I am just taking the practice exams every day (about 20 questions a day) and I review every question and make sure I understand why I got it wrong or right (if I guessed)

The question bank on the CD that came with the book is so big (about 300 questions) I would imagine that if I understand most of the questions that It will help me solve similiar questions on the real exam

Daniel333

abekku,

If you need additional resources. The MCSE- Windows XP for dummies book if free to download from their site. Just search for the book and click the link about what is on the CD. There you'll find the PDF for the book. Read through the questions there since they will be new to you and see how you score. Study around that.

I don't know where you live, but here in California our library systems and colleges all connect to a program called Link+, so I can borrow DOZENS of books on XP now charge. If a library around here has it, you can get it.

Don't forget to actually run ALL the labs in virtual machines. I know plently of people who can just read the book and pass the test. But that doens't help them in real life. I've met a few MCSA and MCSE They end up staring blankly at the Active Directory User and Computer's tool and can't reset a password for an account.... (One of out lan operations's guy couldn't figure out how to connect a 2k machine to the domain, I was very annoyed)

So recap, free books from Dummies, Library and Virtual machines. Expect to spend about 15-20 hours just running labs. I've read the Sybex book, the Microsoft one, the Dummies one and am flipping through exam cram recapping. PLUS, I've run every lab, and I don't know if I want to take the test yet.

good luck!
-Daniel Wilson