I am going for it

Mike-Mike

after I finish Network+ and Security+ I am going for the MCDST, try to cram it in before the March retirement...

so far I really like the Sybex books for A+ and Network+, what's a good resource for MCDST?

etbjr182

MS press books seem to be the way to go:

Amazon.com: MCDST Self-Paced Training Kit (Exam 70-271): Supporting Users and Troubleshooting a Microsoft Windows XP Operating System (Pro-Certification) (9780735622272): Walter Glenn, Tony Northrup: Books

Amazon.com: MCDST Self-Paced Training Kit (Exam 70-272): Supporting Users and Troubleshooting Desktop Applications on Microsoft Windows XP (Pro-Certification) (9780735622210): Walter Glenn, Tony Northrup: Books

Why not Windows 7 exam, 70-680?

Mike-Mike

my school program is covering Windows 7 in Jan, i figured I could knock out MCDST along with it... I took some practice tests on MCDST, and I'm not doing half bad just from my A+/Network+ knowledge, so I figure with a little studying I can knock it out...

i saw those books listed on Amazon, but they are way longer than the Sybex book, but the Sybex one was also poorly reviewed.... I won't decide until middle December on which book to buy

RobertKaucher

Mike-Mike wrote: »

my school program is covering Windows 7 in Jan, i figured I could knock out MCDST along with it... I took some practice tests on MCDST, and I'm not doing half bad just from my A+/Network+ knowledge, so I figure with a little studying I can knock it out...

i saw those books listed on Amazon, but they are way longer than the Sybex book, but the Sybex one was also poorly reviewed.... I won't decide until middle December on which book to buy

Any news on your studies?

Mike-Mike

I completed the Network+ and I am currently studying Security+ with Darril's book, but I have decided to order the Sybex book for MCDST. I really liked their books for A+/Network+. I actually wrote the publisher and expressed my concerns, he said the first pressing was actually something they weren't proud of, but he assured me they had fixed that with the Deluxe release.

and it is written by Bill Ferguson, and I really liked his Network+ Review Guide...

Security+ is set for Dec 22nd, so Dec 23rd I should start MCDST studies, going to order the book this week with Amazon Prime. I did already by an app for my blackberry for MCDST. I took a short test and got a 60%, so I figure with a book to read, I should do fairly well on the test...

my school is a Microsoft IT Academy, but they do not offer a course on MCDST, but i wrote our administrator to see if she would get me access to Microsoft's E-Learning catalong on MCDST.

earweed

The IT Academy e-learning stuff is actually pretty good. I used it for all my 70-64x study so far.

RobertKaucher

Mike-Mike wrote: »

my school is a Microsoft IT Academy, but they do not offer a course on MCDST, but i wrote our administrator to see if she would get me access to Microsoft's E-Learning catalong on MCDST.

Well, they are not hard exams. My first MCP was the 271 and I passed in the high 900s. I had kind of given up on the MCDST when I passed my 291 and decided I may as well take the 272 and get my MCSA. I decided that on a Saturday and took the exam on the following Tuesday. I had a little mroe than 2 years experience in IT at that point.

However a friend who took the exams failed both at least once. So, take what I say with a grain of salt.

Repo Man

I just passed both with 3 days of slight review for each. If you have worked at a help desk you can pass this with no studying IMO.

Mike-Mike

are these two tests that I could take in 1 day? sorta like A+? or should I plan on taking them seperately?

glad to hear the IT Academy courses are good, I would hate to raise a fuss about getting access to the classes and then find them useless

Devilsbane

I wanted to do this in early 2011. Mostly just for something extra to throw on the resume. But Now that it is looking like the MCSE:Security won't be done until the end of January, time could run short.

I was thinking that I could do each test in about 2 weeks, but that only gives me about a month cushion.

RobertKaucher

Devilsbane wrote: »

I wanted to do this in early 2011. Mostly just for something extra to throw on the resume. But Now that it is looking like the MCSE:Security won't be done until the end of January, time could run short.

I was thinking that I could do each test in about 2 weeks, but that only gives me about a month cushion.

These will be cake after the MCSE.

Devilsbane

RobertKaucher wrote: »

These will be cake after the MCSE.

I imagine they would be. I'd probably just cruise through the nuggets and do some random study online and see what happens.

Dakinggamer87

Good luck with exams!!