70-271 tomorrow 3pm

Well last friday our CIO asked the helpdesk to get MCDST certified. Last winter I was studying for the MCSA and got tired of it... took a break. Currently I only hold CompTia A+ and MCP (70-620) exam.

I glanced at 70-271 and assumed since Ive been doing this job for nine years it would be a walk in the park. I scheduled my exam which gave me five days to prepare and then realized that might of been a mistake. I have never done a remote installation, worked with NTFS permissions, or upgraded a windows 98 computer to XP. I mean 7 years ago i vaguely remember dual booting, but these days we come across a PC with even windows 2000 and we toss it in the garbage bin.

Ive come to realize there is a lot more to windows XP then what my average end user deals with and feeling a bit nervous. Ive been taking microsoft press book practice test all weekend which has my average scores around 85% -- mostly because ive memorized the answer to the questions :-/

Some of the questions I get wrong are not because I lack the knowledge, but because in my experience things are different. One question in mind is: a user cannot get logged in to the computer with an "invalid username or password" the correct answer is her caps lock key is toggled (which is the first thing I would ask a user, *num lock too) but 9 times out of 10 it turns out to be they forgot their password. I alsmost wish the test was all essay.

Ill let you guys know how it goes tomorrow afternoon, wish me luck. If i pass, ill schedule the 70-272 for next week, then 70-622 for MCITP upgrade.

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Comments

Xcluziv

Good Luck man!!!!

buttons

thanks, im about to leave work to head over to the test center. i sure have the jitters. more is at stake to me then $95 but its like if i dont pass it im not fit for my job. I don't know, a huge chunk of confidence/pride will be gone if i dont pass.

buttons

I passed with only a 799, lower then I expected but passing is passing in my book

It started out really easy but got to a few questions I didnt prepare for. Ive been on a helpdesk at 3 different places for 10 years now, but none of them have we ever dabbled in Remote installations, NTFS/share permissions, or a few other odds and ends.

I spent 4 days studying, which entailed no books, took free online practice tests and such. Used microsoft press practice tests until i had memorized all the answers. Oddly enough a lot of them questions didnt pertain to the actual exam. Not to go into to much detail but its like the 271 exam was updated more to todays standards... where as microsoft press practice test focused a lot on older technology (tiny hard drives, windows upgrades, dual boots, etc)

I am dumbfounded how much the 270 and 271 mimic each other, Whats the point of having two different exams with what seems the same bank of questions?

On to the 70-272 for next week.

dynamik

Congrats!

brad-

buttons wrote: »

Used microsoft press practice tests until i had memorized all the answers. Oddly enough a lot of them questions didnt pertain to the actual exam.

Thats how i feel about all the MS tests I've done. I've gotten the MS Press book for each one, and every single time...it not only is the worst resource I have in terms of readability, the practice questions are in no way helpful. Thats been my experience with MS Press books. I wont buy another one.

Mantar

brad- wrote: »

Thats how i feel about all the MS tests I've done. I've gotten the MS Press book for each one, and every single time...it not only is the worst resource I have in terms of readability, the practice questions are in no way helpful. Thats been my experience with MS Press books. I wont buy another one.

Hey Brad, If not the MS press books, what would you recommend getting ? thanks

Ashenwelt

I am not who the question was directed to... but a staff writer at MS Press argues you should by Sybex. He was of the oppinion don't buy MS Press. Kinda weird though. No real respect for his work, I guess