I passed A+ hardware test and am getting ready to take OS part of exam. Took advice from this forum and bought Mike Meyers' 5th edition "All In One," as well as using free practice exams, etc. Although expensive, I think I'm going to buy Transcenders practice tests and flash cards but when I tried their demo, was suprised to find huge number of questions focusing on Server 2003. Haven't come across anything to do with Server 2003 in Mike Meyers, CompTia practice exams, etc. Do I need to be worried about this? Could Transcender's Server 2003 questions be geared for the next edition of OS test or is Server 2003 questions a big deal on current test? Don't have "hands-on" experience but took a "mini-course" in A+ at a local school based on elementK. Any help or insight would be appreciated - I'm shaking in my boots since every time I think I've got a grasp on this - it seems I run into more stuff I'm not familiar with and test deadline is approaching much too fast .
Comments
I would say that about any OS in operation at this time or, at least in operation at the time of the November, 2003 exam revision, is fair game for being in the question data base.
Best of luck, and reschedule until you're confident if at all possible.
You might get some questions that use Windows 2003 as an example, but I can't imagine they'd say anything that wouldn't also be true for XP or even 2000.
Here is what I suggest. Get a very general idea of what servers can do. Spend maybe 10 minutes on it. One question may or may not show up(out of 80) don't waste your time.
I'd suggest also: the OS quizzes on utility switches of which there are probably way to many for someone to memorize. Get some good knowledge of the most used 1 or 2 in every major utility. Don't get into it at esoteric levels. I remember 2 or 3 switch questions at the most, and they were about Ipconfig and something else. Just practice a few and get on with it. Another 'not a big deal' thing.
DO KNOW the major files associated with the OS's. In my nervousness my brain skipped out on me and I had a few quesitons about NT/2000/XP and checked WINNT32 as the answer when it was really WINNT.
I was so nervous I got the sys A: question and couldn't for the life of me remember it, even though it so automatic when I was studying that I didn't even think of it. (I did eventually remember it for the test)
Anohter thing I noticed is that the questions weren't so hard but the answers are similiar so you can't rely on the trigger of seeing something familiar.
Just study and study everything. It is a pretty varied test. Not a lot on one thing, pretty spread out.
Oh yeah, make sure you know what OS can be upgraded , and to what. Easy to remember when studying but this area I think I fell off in.
And expect a few questions to blow you away, they like to shake you up. The very first question was completely unfamiliar and scared the $### out of me. BUt easier and more recognizable questions are the norm.
I bought both because I felt a little "weaker" in the os portions since most of my experience has only been win 98 support.