Can 70-292 be used in place of 70-290

celtic_tiger

Salutations all

I have decided take work towards the MCSA to start my career path and I have recently just passed the 70-292.

I have the a+, network+ and I am hoping to get the 70-270, 70-291 this coming year and then use the 70-292 in place of the 70-290 to complete the MCSA requirements.

My instructor on the networking course told me that the exams are identical and that there is no difference but this begs the questions why then does the 70-292 exist! I have found out that this is a windows mcsa 2k upgrade path but I uh have not done anything on windows 2k so how then can I be in this position? The exam was scheduled by the course itself, so up until now I have assumed that I have fulfiled the the requirments but am concerned to think that this may not be true also how can I be able to sit an upgrade exam without actually having the pre requisite requirements such as the 2k pror certification?

Cant seem to find a clear answer so far so I would appreciate any input

many thanks

Celtic.

astorrs

Unfortunately the 70-292 exam you passed can only be used towards the MCSA in combination with a previous Windows 2000 cert (either MCSA or MCSE). You'll need to take all 3 exams (and use your A+ & N+ as the electives) before you can receive the MCSA on Windows Server 2003 cert.

Sorry for the bad news.

Slowhand

No, the 70-292 exam does not replace 70-290 for MCSA or MCSE on Windows Server 2003.

If you had MCSA on Windows 2000 Server you could upgrade that cert to the 2003 version with 70-292. If you had MCSE on Windows 2000 Server you could upgrade to the Server 2003 MCSE by taking both 70-292 and 70-296.

However, since the 2000-generation of MCSE exams, along with the MCSE on Windows 2000 Server, were retired in March of 2008, the 70-292 and 70-296 exams went with them.

celtic_tiger

Thank you

What a waste of time that was, why on earth did this course have me study for this exam!!?? Interestingly I sat this exam only last month! but wasint it retired in march??

astorrs

celtic_tiger wrote:

Thank you

What a waste of time that was, why on earth did this course have me study for this exam!!?? Interestingly I sat this exam only last month! but wasint it retired in march??

Very strange, you shouldn't have been able to register for it. You took this at a Prometric in what country?

Slowhand

celtic_tiger wrote:

Thank you

What a waste of time that was, why on earth did this course have me study for this exam!!?? Interestingly I sat this exam only last month! but wasint it retired in march??

It may have been that the teacher felt the material was sound. Since 70-292 covers topics seen on both 70-290 and 70-291, it may have been a matter of wanting to cover "a little bit of everything" in studying towards the MCSA. Still, you should have been informed that the exam itself is no longer offered.

celtic_tiger

I took this exam with prometric In Ireland in late september.

Oh the 70-292 includes material from the 70-291 also! The only material we had to study was the sybex 70-290 manual.

Slowhand

celtic_tiger wrote:

I took this exam with prometric In Ireland in late september.

Oh the 70-292 includes material from the 70-291 also! The only material we had to study was the sybex 70-290 manual.

Ah, okay. Microsoft's probably set different retirement-dates for different parts of the world. Still, it makes no sense for your teacher to have you take the 70-292 exam, use the 70-290 book to study for it, without the students having prior MCSA or MCSE certifications. I could undertand if it was the other way around, studying the 70-292 material and taking 70-290; it wouldn't cover everything but it would make a little sense, at least.

celtic_tiger

Agreed

Last questions is that if this was an upgrade exam wouldnt it be then necessary for me to hold a prior Microsoft certification? as this was the first microsoft exam I have done.

Thanks all

Slowhand

celtic_tiger wrote:

Agreed

Last questions is that if this was an upgrade exam wouldnt it be then necessary for me to hold a prior Microsoft certification? as this was the first microsoft exam I have done.

Thanks all

Yup, that's true. This exam, as well as 70-296, only apply as upgrades. They cannot give you MCSA or MCSE certification on their own. You have to have held the MCSA or MCSE on Windows 2000 Server in order to get any use out of the test.