Failed 70-291 with 615

jeanathan

Ok I admit I didn't study the DNS and DHCP sections well enough. I used CBT Nuggets and MS Press book 1st edition. Plus I have hands on work experience with DNS, AD, GPO. This test took my by suprise with all the multisite multisubnet DNS DHCP questions.

46 questions 3 sims 2.5 hours to answer

I felt confident taking the test, but now I am tired and have to go back to work or take test again this next week.

Outside studing the DNS and DHCP topics harder any advise on what topics to study harder or a better text/training module?

Also maybe I am just mad because I failed, but the score report is basically worthless at letting you know what to study harder. My report said I got 50% on all but a couple of topics where I got 40%??? I thought I got 80% on all other topics and 20% on DNS DHCP???

Sorry, I am just pissed I have to drive 3 hours to a prometric test site now. Used to be 40 minutes to VUE site.

dynamik

I'm sorry to hear about the fail. Maybe give the Transcender practice exam a shot.

jeanathan wrote:

Sorry, I am just pissed I have to drive 3 hours to a prometric test site now. Used to be 40 minutes to VUE site.

Are you in Northern Minnesota? Those people got screwed just like that. I guess I shouldn't complain that I went from 15 to 40. It looks like some of the Vue sites are either switching to Prometric or offering exams through Prometric as well. I check back occasionally, and I see some of the old Vue sites popping back up. Hopefully you'll see some centers open up closer to you.

jeanathan

Princeton, WV I can go to St. Albans, WV @ 86 Miles (plus it is a toll road.)

The only other sites in this area currently are Charlotte, NC and Washington, DC.

There are colleges around that are VUE, I am hoping they add prometric test soon.

I will see if I can find Transcender among the other IT pros in my area. I want some really good DNS instruction before I try this one again. Thanks.

mikedisd2

This exam has really tested my patience as well. I failed it a few times and am about to try again tomorrow, maybe for the last time. I figure I've read the book so many times I know the subjects throughout and if MS wants to fail me with trick questions I'll go study something else.
My exams have been VERY heavy on DNS/DHCP and also quite a few questions on SUS, which is surprising because MSPress doesn't mention it at all. The lack of balance is annoying; maybe 2 or 3 questions each on security and RRAS. Maybe not such a bad thing as they're my worst areas

dynamik

jeanathan wrote:

There are colleges around that are VUE, I am hoping they add prometric test soon.

I will see if I can find Transcender among the other IT pros in my area. I want some really good DNS instruction before I try this one again. Thanks.

The tech colleges have been the one's switching over in my area. Hopefully that happens for you pretty soon as well.

Transcender is only going to be a practice exam. While it does go into detail as to why each answer was or wasn't correct, I wouldn't rely on it for instruction. CBT Nuggets does a good four-part series of DNS in their 291 video.

mikedisd2 wrote:

This exam has really tested my patience as well. I failed it a few times and am about to try again tomorrow, maybe for the last time. I figure I've read the book so many times I know the subjects throughout and if MS wants to fail me with trick questions I'll go study something else.
My exams have been VERY heavy on DNS/DHCP and also quite a few questions on SUS, which is surprising because MSPress doesn't mention it at all. The lack of balance is annoying; maybe 2 or 3 questions each on security and RRAS. Maybe not such a bad thing as they're my worst areas

Is the MS Press book the only resource you're using? I usually use that with 2-3 other resources. They've always been good books, but I don't think I could have passes using that alone. Good luck though. Keep us posted.

jeanathan

I found a Server 2003 DNS video lab series published by Train Signal. It has given me everything I need to know about DNS. It is not geared toward 70-291, but it does an excellent job at educating. Especially when don't have the equipment onsite to impletment all these servers.

http://www.trainsignal.com/index.asp?PageAction=VIEWPROD&ProdID=8

It can get expensive buying all the TS's for the topics covered in the exam, but worth it for the hard subjects DNS RRAS.

dax_kun

Damn, this make me nervous. I'll be taking it this Friday, with only 2 weeks of studying and 1 year of experience. I've been ready a lot of responses from 70-291 exam and most of them failed. Now I'm believer why its called "the beast".

I've setup my own lab to practice on, but when I read the MS book, I found out that I've done only 15-10% of scope of the book. Anyways, I'm counting on the second shot voucher and test center wont have any available schedule till next year. That gives me around 2-3 more to study if I failed.