70-646 on Thursday Sep 23, 2010

za3bour

Well that's my fourth exam this year, I've never been nervous about MS exam before but this one is really a pain to study.

It's a bit of every thing so that's why it's harder to concentrated I'm using the MS self study book in addition the Sybex book.

Both books are just fine I think it's better to read both. I'm more nervous now because of R2 issue and I don't know whether it will be tested here. There is no mention about it yet.

Pro: Windows Server 2008, Server Administrator


I finished reading yesterday and now only reading my notes and doing the practice test that come with MS book. The questions are solid some of them are just easy and some needs some deep thinking to figure it out. One weird thing is a lot of questions related to stuff never mentioned in both books.

I know this is normal but their percentage of the total questions is just high.

Going to Beirut tomorrow at 8:00 AM , exam scheduled at 1:00 PM, will keep you updated about it.I did buy the 2 pack offer so I have a second shot but I really don't wanna think about it now I just wanna finish it and get me MCITP-SA.

One last thing, I started studying on August 1st.

earweed

Good luck man! Bring back a WIN

Jander1023

Good luck! Yeah, this whole R2 update is a pain in the arse. I don't think it will affect me too much on the 642. I'm sure you'll do okay.

za3bour

Jander1023 wrote: »

Good luck! Yeah, this whole R2 update is a pain in the arse. I don't think it will affect me too much on the 642. I'm sure you'll do okay.

Thanks a lot, I hope so for sure and good luck for you on your 642. I did download today an evaluation copy of R2 in order to use it for next exam 643.

za3bour

earweed wrote: »

Good luck man! Bring back a WIN

I certainly hope so , thank you

earweed

The guy on the MS forum from MS learning said that "probably" all of the new R2 questions were ungraded beta questions. It's probably one of the same guys who told our WGU course mentor last week that Server 2008 R2 wasn't even on the exams yet. If the R2 questions were betas then I wasted my time during the last several days before the test studying stuff I didn't have to.

za3bour

Well probably doesn't mean certainly and it actually means " I don't know but I can't admit" so to be in the safe side we should study it anyway.

I just finished having it on virtual server and my first notice was that it's really FAST and looks cool

earweed

I just ordered Mastering Server 2k8 R2 which is co-authored by Darril Gibson so I know it'll be good. Just started my d/l and it's gonna take a while since my internet is slow. R2 is fast, I have it on my ab comp with Hyper-v already but I've been doing all my labbing til now with Server 2k8 VMs.

za3bour

earweed wrote: »

I just ordered Mastering Server 2k8 R2 which is co-authored by Darril Gibson so I know it'll be good. .

I was thinking of this book or the Unleashed one both reviews are good, I can't decide yet.

earweed

I basically flipped a coin. Both look good.

za3bour

Finally I was able to get more than 90% on the practice test for me this is sign that I'm ready. Gotta go get some sleep now leaving damascus at 7:30 AM in Beirut hopefully by 11:00 AM exam is scheduled by 12:30 PM (get chance to read note and have coffee)

will keep you updated.

shon541

Good luck with it, but doesn't sound you need it.

Let us know how it goes.

Essendon

Kill the sucker!!

erpadmin

za3bour wrote: »

I was thinking of this book or the Unleashed one both reviews are good, I can't decide yet.

From what I've personally seen, you can't go wrong with either.

Of course, if you have the pounds or liras, get both.

Jander1023

za3bour wrote: »

Thanks a lot, I hope so for sure and good luck for you on your 642. I did download today an evaluation copy of R2 in order to use it for next exam 643.

Thanks! I am hoping to sit the 642 exam on 10/15. If I can knock it out in 4 weeks, that would be super bitchin!!! Then I am going to study the 646. I might also switch to R2 for my labs starting with the 646, unless that exam will not be updated until after the end of the year.

Btw, how many weeks did you study for the 646?

earweed

You got this.

za3bour

Well they say you never forget your first time:D but this one wasn't happy at all. I left home as scheduled and arrived to Beirut at 11:30 had coffee then went to have the exam at 12:20 PM. The first thing they told me why you didn't call before you come so I was like why do you need me to call ? I've never did this before.

I found out that the test engine or whatever it's called has crashed, i first stayed at exam room for TWO HOURS waiting for it to be repaired they tried and tried but no luck.

Then they had to call Prometric technician, he was Indian so neither the Lebanese guy understand what he was saying and visa-verse they was on the phone for another hour trying every possible thing from installation to dlls but nothing worked.

I stayed there till 3:30, they told me it might not be fixed so I decided to call it for the day. They said they are sorry but well sorry is not enough

They told me I can come on Friday but I said hell no I will not till you assure me it was fixed this is not a 30 minutes drive by car it's a trip between two countries.

Anyway and sorry for talking a lot but I'm really mad and I need to just express it my exam is scheduled now on next Monday same time.

I decided to enjoy the rest of the day so I had a big steak and finished the day with key lime pie.

I left Lebanon at 7:00 arrived home by 10:30.

I don't whether I should complain about this to prometric, I do like the test center it's a nice area and is in a big mall and I become a familiar face there.

I'm not planning to study maybe a quick review on Sunday but that's it.

That's my story for today, total cost was 75$

za3bour

Jander1023 wrote: »

Thanks! I am hoping to sit the 642 exam on 10/15. If I can knock it out in 4 weeks, that would be super bitchin!!! Then I am going to study the 646. I might also switch to R2 for my labs starting with the 646, unless that exam will not be updated until after the end of the year.

Btw, how many weeks did you study for the 646?

For 642 one month was enough for 646 I studied for 7 weeks (- 4/5 days) It's harder to study than 642 and 640.

I will use R2 anyway from now on to prepare for 643 and 647

earweed

Sorry to hear about the wasted trip. Good luck Monday!

za3bour

erpadmin wrote: »

From what I've personally seen, you can't go wrong with either.

Of course, if you have the pounds or liras, get both.

Well actually I don't have so I'm waiting for you to review yours in order to decide

earweed

I just got the Mastering MS Windows Server 2k8 R2 today. At 1400+ pages it may take a while before I can give you a review.

za3bour

earweed wrote: »

I just got the Mastering MS Windows Server 2k8 R2 today. At 1400+ pages it may take a while before I can give you a review.

Yea I was kidding the unleached is 1600 pages I think, I'm gonna read the reviews on Amazon and decide because it will take up to 30 days before I can get it.

za3bour

earweed wrote: »

Sorry to hear about the wasted trip. Good luck Monday!

Well I was really mad, now I think it meant to be. I believe in fate.

erpadmin

za3bour,

I have used the Unleashed series for Exchange 2003. I found it to be an excellent resource. Of course, this is an apples to orange comparison, but I am a firm believer of never having enough resources. Usually, when I buy a technical resource, I research what I don't understand on the Internet anyway, then go back to it to see if my understanding makes sense. I am sure we all do the same thing (we pretty much have to... ).

But you really can't go wrong with either and when I get to it, I will be going with the Mastering R2 book shortly and then the Unleashed afterwards. (I'm gonna have to anyway....I just finished installing R2 Enterprise on my home server and I'll discuss that in my experiences thread).

Jander1023

za3bour wrote: »

For 642 one month was enough for 646 I studied for 7 weeks (- 4/5 days) It's harder to study than 642 and 640.

I will use R2 anyway from now on to prepare for 643 and 647

Sorry to hear about your day. I hope you are able to get in there the next time and have smooth sailing.

Thanks for taking the time to respond to my question. You and earweed are both a little a head of me on the certs. You both have provided very valuable posts and direct feedback to my questions. I greatly appreciate it.

za3bour

Jander1023 wrote: »

Sorry to hear about your day. I hope you are able to get in there the next time and have smooth sailing.

Thanks for taking the time to respond to my question. You and earweed are both a little a head of me on the certs. You both have provided very valuable posts and direct feedback to my questions. I greatly appreciate it.

Thanks man for the nice comments, we're always happy to help when we can.Good luck with your exam. I will be ok I guess one thing that worry me is that I found out that now I have two pending exams in my Prometric profile so I've contacted them to clear the old one so that it doesnt' cause any problem.

za3bour

erpadmin wrote: »

za3bour,

I have used the Unleashed series for Exchange 2003. I found it to be an excellent resource. Of course, this is an apples to orange comparison, but I am a firm believer of never having enough resources. Usually, when I buy a technical resource, I research what I don't understand on the Internet anyway, then go back to it to see if my understanding makes sense. I am sure we all do the same thing (we pretty much have to... ).

But you really can't go wrong with either and when I get to it, I will be going with the Mastering R2 book shortly and then the Unleashed afterwards. (I'm gonna have to anyway....I just finished installing R2 Enterprise on my home server and I'll discuss that in my experiences thread).

I decided to get the unleached just because it had better reviews on Amazon and it's 200 pages more so more info but like you said both are good resources I wish I could afford to get both but shipping is gonna be very expensive although the price is just awesome from Amazon I just don't know how can they give you 40% off the original price.

za3bour

Bad news, I just got an Email from my test center that my exam is rescheduled to next Wednesday due to technical problems at test center.

I just hate this mainly because I don't wanna study anymore and now time will pass very slowly.

erpadmin

za3bour wrote: »

Bad news, I just got an Email from my test center that my exam is rescheduled to next Wednesday due to technical problems at test center.

I just hate this mainly because I don't wanna study anymore and now time will pass very slowly.

Aside from the date, I don't see how that's bad....at least you're not schleping (yeah, I'll bust out some Yiddish on you, almost appropriate...lmao!!) like you did last time. Plus you have an extra couple of days.....I'd almost consider it a blessing in disguise.

za3bour

erpadmin wrote: »

Aside from the date, I don't see how that's bad....at least you're not schleping (yeah, I'll bust out some Yiddish on you, almost appropriate...lmao!!) like you did last time. Plus you have an extra couple of days.....I'd almost consider it a blessing in disguise.

To be honest I don't what does schleping and yiddish means so I don't know what to say.

Well it's bad because I don't like to over study I read two books twice and I think I'm ready for the exam and I went to the test center focused and ready to finish it but now I have one week extra which I don't know how I will fill.

I think now i will start reading for 70-643.

erpadmin

za3bour wrote: »

To be honest I don't what does schleping and yiddish means so I don't know what to say.

Well it's bad because I don't like to over study I read two books twice and I think I'm ready for the exam and I went to the test center focused and ready to finish it but now I have one week extra which I don't know how I will fill.

I think now i will start reading for 70-643.

Those two words you can definitely Google. Schleping is basically making a hard long journey (I thought it was Yiddish [Jewish] slang and not an actual word, but apparently it is when I saw it in the dictionary... I'm from the metro New York City area and a lot of those types of words actually make it to the regional dialect. ).

I would imagine Damascus to Beirut would signify such a journey and not even so much for the distance.

As for how you want to fill your week....spend time with your family and friends the first half. Then re-cram for the subjects the second half. You already have the confidence, just take some time to "smell the roses."