Windows XP 70-270

marts32

Hi Folks,

I currently work for a power station company and need to be Microsoft Certified. I have the exam cram and official Microsoft book but am not sure where to start. I have been trying to study for some time. I just wondered the best method to study and pass the 70-270 exam.

Many thanks

Martin

varelg

I am preparing for that exam too and hopefully would sit it early or mid october.
In my previous rather bitter experience with MS exams (failed 271 few years back) MS Press literature is your best friend for preparation for the exam. If you have the MS prep book, then start from the... beginning. Use the trial XP Pro copy included with that book in a virtual machine, optionally get the MOC book (I found mine for ~$25 on amazon). Using secondary sources can only be helpfull, but don't rely solely on ExamCram to get you through.
Although not at the beggining, I'd start with the installation and startup parts and then go for user and group permissions.
Your two biggest opponents would be your attitude ("oh it's XP, gee I use it every day what more can be said about it") and the MS exam engine (verbose questions that easily lend themselves to misinterpretation and therefore loss of points, it's like reading short stories instead of exam questions). From what others are saying, 270 can be pretty tricky, maybe trickiest of all 4 required for MCSA.
Good luck and let's pass the exam!

Devilsbane

What are you required to pass? 70-270 is labeled as XP, but it is about implementing XP, not supporting it. You will run into MANY things that you don't feel should be on simply an XP exam, and you would be right. AD comes up a little, lots about building answer files and deploying XP via a server, I even seen some certificate stuff come up on one of my practice tests.

The 70-271 and 70-272 are for the XP that we all know and love. These tests are for supporting windows XP workstations. Sure, there is a lot of similarities between the two (backups, file permissions, ect) but taking one of these exams will be easier for you and the objectives are probably more in line with what your employer is looking for.

Passing both the 271 and 271 will gain you the MCDST (Microsoft Certified Desktop Support Technicial). But keep in mind that both of these tests will be retired on March 31st of next year. That is plenty of time to pass them both, but not if you sit back and kick the idea around for a few months.

Good luck, I think you will find that TE will be a good resource no matter which route you choose.