70-640 not available in english...

ciscog33k

I'm on prometric's site trying to register for the exam in Ontario, Canada. It's got every language but english. Other exams have an english option. WTF prometric?!?

BradH

Exam is 83-640 - It changed to an Exam with virtual machines and multiple choice.

It's the only one of it's type in the Microsoft exam suite until 83-680 comes out (Windows 7)

Search function on the forum broken?

ciscog33k

Prometric emailed me back saying to take 83-640. You'd think MS would update their certification site to say that the old exam is retired. Why it's still available in french and chinese I still don't understand.

TheShadow

Because they have to be translated and then vetted in those languages and it takes time. New exams are always English only at first.

Devilsbane

Feel lucky, I find that simulation exams are easier to pass and they mean more. Anyone can spend all night cramming useless information, fewer actually know what they are doing.

TheShadow wrote: »

Because they have to be translated and then vetted in those languages and it takes time. New exams are always English only at first.

You better post again quick. You have 666 posts...

ciscog33k

Devilsbane wrote: »

Feel lucky, I find that simulation exams are easier to pass and they mean more. Anyone can spend all night cramming useless information, fewer actually know what they are doing.

I haven't taken any MS exams so far, but based on the tested skills, I don't think I even need to study, really. I've been administering Windows servers for years so I'm just going to watch the CBT nuggets videos to get a refresher on certain things like the differences between functional levels and I'm taking all 3 exams for the MCITP:SA between this Friday and next Wednesday.

I wasn't going to bother with MS certs at all, but I just relocated and am looking for work and i'm not seeing as many networking roles as I'd like, so I figured I'd hit the MS exams up since I already know the stuff and open some sys admin doors, even though I prefer the cisco stuff.

The new exam seems pretty cool though. Apparently they are using VMs instead of a simulation? That's pretty awesome. Hopefully I don't have any problems with the exam itself. I've read that the roll-out of the new exams has been a disaster. Lots of people not able to finish or their exams freezing, etc.

earweed

Also make sure when you show up for the 83-640 not to be early. The test site I went to even had a disclaimer on the scheduling sheet that if the exam was launched early the simulator may not work which would result in a failure. This is probably MS just covering their a%% so that they would not have to cover when the exam messed up. Make sure to read the instructions for the VM's too as it can also cause you to fail the exam if you do the wrong thing.

earweed

ciscog33k wrote: »

I haven't taken any MS exams so far, but based on the tested skills, I don't think I even need to study, really. I've been administering Windows servers for years so I'm just going to watch the CBT nuggets videos to get a refresher on certain things like the differences between functional levels and I'm taking all 3 exams for the MCITP:SA between this Friday and next Wednesday.

I wasn't going to bother with MS certs at all, but I just relocated and am looking for work and i'm not seeing as many networking roles as I'd like, so I figured I'd hit the MS exams up since I already know the stuff and open some sys admin doors, even though I prefer the cisco stuff.

The new exam seems pretty cool though. Apparently they are using VMs instead of a simulation? That's pretty awesome. Hopefully I don't have any problems with the exam itself. I've read that the roll-out of the new exams has been a disaster. Lots of people not able to finish or their exams freezing, etc.

I would still study and lab. Don't forget these exams are not all geared to how you use the OS but you have to think the Microsoft way. I discussed some of the sims with a network admin I know and was told he's never done some of the things I had on the test, so study and lab!
Several of the sims you had to know material in the book just to understand what itwas you needed to do. Most of the sims were not just straightforward do this one thing, and the sim portion I used the entire allotted time and still could not complete everything on it. Luckily I passed with a 783.

Unless you've worked extensively with 2k8 you need a lot of stuying. You've got new things like AD LDS, FS, ADRMS, RODC, Hyper-V, and Certificate services is tested pretty thoroughly. As I was stuying it kept coming up about what had changed and what was done differently for 2k8.

Devilsbane

ciscog33k wrote: »

I haven't taken any MS exams so far, but based on the tested skills, I don't think I even need to study, really. I've been administering Windows servers for years so I'm just going to watch the CBT nuggets videos to get a refresher on certain things like the differences between functional levels and I'm taking all 3 exams for the MCITP:SA between this Friday and next Wednesday.

I wasn't going to bother with MS certs at all, but I just relocated and am looking for work and i'm not seeing as many networking roles as I'd like, so I figured I'd hit the MS exams up since I already know the stuff and open some sys admin doors, even though I prefer the cisco stuff.

Don't underestimate a Microsoft test. Many have done so on these forums, and many of them have failed.

ciscog33k

Devilsbane wrote: »

Don't underestimate a Microsoft test. Many have done so on these forums, and many of them have failed.

I'm still going to spend the next week studying, but since I'm comfortable with a most of it i can afford to just study stuff I haven't done much with. I'm not sweating it too much because there's a free retake. At worst my first exam on friday will be a learning experience and I will readjust my schedule a bit.

Interesting comment about not showing up early... I'll watch the clock before I hit start or whatever.

casperz4

Can you actually do this exam?
I had to cancel mine because it was unavailable to write.
They gave me a ticket number.
But I can't even book the 083-640. They are still telling me it's unavailable

earweed

Prometric is having scheduling problems with this exam for some reason and it's worldwide. I scheduled mine last month but had to do it over the phone as the online wouldn't work. It's an ongoing problem.