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Passed 70-680 Not too bad.
Zentraedi
Member Posts: 150
Well, just got back from the exam site and still a bit shocked.
Passed with a 887.
As for the breakdown, it seems like people on this forum actually got percentages. My printout has bars showing the relative strengths, but no numbers.
If I had to guess, it would be something like this:
Installing, Upgrading 85%
Deploying Windows 7 100%
Configuring Hardware 85%
Configuring Network 100%
Configuring Access to Resources 85%
Configuring Mobile 100%
Monitoring and Maintaining 100%
Configuring Backup 100%
I've gotta say, after reading these forums and taking a few practice exams, I was pretty worried and sure I wasn't going to pass today. Luckily, the exam turned out to be much easier than I expected.
Anyway, It took 4 week of prep and here's what I used to study:
First, CBT Nuggets. Excellent videos. They really helped me get into the material.
Amazon.com: MCTS Self-Paced Training Kit (Exam 70-680): Configuring Windows 7 (9780735627086): Ian McLean, Orin Thomas: Books
Pretty useful. Some of the typos did frustrate me though.
Meh. I really feel like I could have done without this book.
This was a fantastic resource. Often times I felt like the Training Kit book was just putting together a list of stuff to memorize. The Resource Kit on the other hand went more in depth and gave more of the how and why. This was really useful.
http://www.amazon.co.jp/徹底攻略MCTS-Windows-70-680-徹底攻略シリーズ-ITエンジニアのための徹底攻略/dp/4844328425/
This is just a collection practice questions in Japanese. Thought it would be good to try this, since I need to be competent with the material in both English and Japanese. I felt the explanations were a bit better than the MS Press Training Kit (English). The most frustrating thing with of a lot the English books, was getting to an explanation and being told not to worry about something because it was out of this scope. Ugh. This Japanese book actually was pretty clear and had nice diagrams.
I was a bit concerned though. These practice question seemed WAAAY easier than the English practice tests I had been doing. It wasn't a language thing at all. It's just that the scenarios and breadth of the Self Test and Measure up exams were on a whole other level. That had me worried. So, was MS giving non-English speakers softball exams? In the end, it turns out the real English exam was about on the same level as the questions in this book.
Kaplan Self Test
These were just flat out hard. It's almost like this was for another test. I don't know, maybe for the 70-686. A lot of questions assumed a great deal of familiarity with Win Server 2k8 stuff that wasn't at all covered in 70-680 books.
Also, a few pretty obscure questions and one or two that were flat out cheap. Seriously, I had questions that required knowledge of things no one in their right mind would memorize. No, I'm not talking about command switches, GPO or even registry keys....way worse.
Yeah, this almost gave me an ulcer and was why I was all glum going into the exam center today.
Measure Up iPhone app
Pretty challenging , but there were a few answers that I was sure were flat out wrong.
Seriously, one of their answers said that flash disks, like conventional hard disks still do need to be defragmented. What a joke.
MyWindowsClub
Free MCTS Practice Test
I can't believe this is free. Pretty good resource. There are a few bug and typos, but still pretty good.
The level of the practice questions is above the MS exam, but nowhere near as bad as the Kaplan Self Test.
Passed with a 887.
As for the breakdown, it seems like people on this forum actually got percentages. My printout has bars showing the relative strengths, but no numbers.
If I had to guess, it would be something like this:
Installing, Upgrading 85%
Deploying Windows 7 100%
Configuring Hardware 85%
Configuring Network 100%
Configuring Access to Resources 85%
Configuring Mobile 100%
Monitoring and Maintaining 100%
Configuring Backup 100%
I've gotta say, after reading these forums and taking a few practice exams, I was pretty worried and sure I wasn't going to pass today. Luckily, the exam turned out to be much easier than I expected.
Anyway, It took 4 week of prep and here's what I used to study:
First, CBT Nuggets. Excellent videos. They really helped me get into the material.
Amazon.com: MCTS Self-Paced Training Kit (Exam 70-680): Configuring Windows 7 (9780735627086): Ian McLean, Orin Thomas: Books
Pretty useful. Some of the typos did frustrate me though.
Meh. I really feel like I could have done without this book.
This was a fantastic resource. Often times I felt like the Training Kit book was just putting together a list of stuff to memorize. The Resource Kit on the other hand went more in depth and gave more of the how and why. This was really useful.
http://www.amazon.co.jp/徹底攻略MCTS-Windows-70-680-徹底攻略シリーズ-ITエンジニアのための徹底攻略/dp/4844328425/
This is just a collection practice questions in Japanese. Thought it would be good to try this, since I need to be competent with the material in both English and Japanese. I felt the explanations were a bit better than the MS Press Training Kit (English). The most frustrating thing with of a lot the English books, was getting to an explanation and being told not to worry about something because it was out of this scope. Ugh. This Japanese book actually was pretty clear and had nice diagrams.
I was a bit concerned though. These practice question seemed WAAAY easier than the English practice tests I had been doing. It wasn't a language thing at all. It's just that the scenarios and breadth of the Self Test and Measure up exams were on a whole other level. That had me worried. So, was MS giving non-English speakers softball exams? In the end, it turns out the real English exam was about on the same level as the questions in this book.
Kaplan Self Test
These were just flat out hard. It's almost like this was for another test. I don't know, maybe for the 70-686. A lot of questions assumed a great deal of familiarity with Win Server 2k8 stuff that wasn't at all covered in 70-680 books.
Also, a few pretty obscure questions and one or two that were flat out cheap. Seriously, I had questions that required knowledge of things no one in their right mind would memorize. No, I'm not talking about command switches, GPO or even registry keys....way worse.
Yeah, this almost gave me an ulcer and was why I was all glum going into the exam center today.
Measure Up iPhone app
Pretty challenging , but there were a few answers that I was sure were flat out wrong.
Seriously, one of their answers said that flash disks, like conventional hard disks still do need to be defragmented. What a joke.
MyWindowsClub
Free MCTS Practice Test
I can't believe this is free. Pretty good resource. There are a few bug and typos, but still pretty good.
The level of the practice questions is above the MS exam, but nowhere near as bad as the Kaplan Self Test.
Current Study Track
EMCCA, EMCCAe, EMCCE, VCIX-NV, Puppet Practitioner, ServiceNow
EMCCA, EMCCAe, EMCCE, VCIX-NV, Puppet Practitioner, ServiceNow
Comments
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OptionsRepo Man
Member Posts: 300
Congrats, I can tell you put a lot of work into it.
I was going to take this test but put it on hold because I couldn't properly lab it at the time. Think I'll take it next. -
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xenodamus
Member Posts: 758
Congrats! Thanks for the nice write up. I'm looking at this exam sometime first of next year. It looks like the CBT Nuggets for this one must have alot of info (@ 17 hours of video). I might have to look into those.CISSP | CCNA:R&S/Security | MCSA 2003 | A+ S+ | VCP6-DTM | CCA-V CCP-V -
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NOLAJ
Member Posts: 490
CBT Nuggets are great. Conrad is the instructor, as he is for all the windows nuggets I've watched. Congrats on your passing!!
WGU - MBA: I.T. Management --> Graduated!!
WGU - B.S. Information Technology—Network Administration --> Graduated!!
:thumbup: -
Optionsbadboyeee
Member Posts: 348
Congrats! I might start with this cert for the MS track. On average, how many hours a day did you study for those 4 weeks?2011 Certification Plans so far:
[Cisco: CCENT (ICND1)-> CCNA (ICND2)]
[MS: MCP-> MCDST-> MCTS / MCITP:ESDT7-> MCITP:EDA7]
Class taking:
[Cisco NetAcademy - Network Fundamentals (35%)]
Video currently watching:
[CBT Nuggets - CCENT w/ Jeremy (50%)]
[CBT Nuggets - 20-721 (40%) -
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earweed
Member Posts: 5,192 ■■■■■■■■■□
Congrats, looks like you put a lot into this test.No longer work in IT. Play around with stuff sometimes still and fix stuff for friends and relatives. -
Optionsapena7
Member Posts: 351
Great score and thanks for listing your resources. I'll be tackling this exam again soon.Usus magister est optimus
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OptionsZentraedi
Member Posts: 150
Congrats, I can tell you put a lot of work into it.
I was going to take this test but put it on hold because I couldn't properly lab it at the time. Think I'll take it next.
I probably "over-prepared", but that's not really a bad thing. Plus, I made sure to do at least half of the labs in both languages.
Anyway, just make sure you've got the RAM to do a couple VMs. I'd make sure to get the ISOs for Win7Ent and WinServer2k8R2. Don't skip the depolyment exercises on WinServer just because this exam is on Win7 Client.Congrats! Thanks for the nice write up. I'm looking at this exam sometime first of next year. It looks like the CBT Nuggets for this one must have alot of info (@ 17 hours of video). I might have to look into those.CBT Nuggets are great. Conrad is the instructor, as he is for all the windows nuggets I've watched. Congrats on your passing!!
Yeah, Conrad is great. Both he and Jeremy Ciora are some of my favorite presenters. I've tried videos from other companies, but they bored me to tears and made it really hard to get into the material.
Sometimes they do make a few speaking errors though. Conrad seems to be confused on the meaning of "equivocate" lolz.Congrats! I might start with this cert for the MS track. On average, how many hours a day did you study for those 4 weeks?
Probably 4 or so hours on weekdays and full time on the weekends. It was kind of difficult since I had to deal with an incredibly stubborn and irrational girlfriend.
Me: "Gonna take a practice exam today, so I need a 2 hr window of quiet."
Her: "Well, I'm gonna vacuum today."
Me: "OK. Can you tell me when, so I can plan around that?"
Her: "WTH? I don't know when. So, what, I need to ask you for permission to do anything?"
Great score and thanks for listing your resources. I'll be tackling this exam again soon.
Thanks and good luck. Just take notes and make sure you're really thorough when studying.Current Study Track
EMCCA, EMCCAe, EMCCE, VCIX-NV, Puppet Practitioner, ServiceNow -
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QHalo
Member Posts: 1,488
Yeah I'm taking notes of the things from each chapter, making up labs to do that involve knowing both the CLI and the GUI methods as well as doing the labs in the MSTK. When I'm done I'll probably read the 685/686 book like others have suggested and then I think I'll be ready.
Grats on your pass. I'm hoping to put this thing behind me soon as well. -
Optionsjoshmadakor
Member Posts: 495 ■■■■□□□□□□
Reminds me of my American ex-girlfriends.Me: "Gonna take a practice exam today, so I need a 2 hr window of quiet."
Her: "Well, I'm gonna vacuum today."
Me: "OK. Can you tell me when, so I can plan around that?"
Her: "WTH? I don't know when. So, what, I need to ask you for permission to do anything?"
Grats on your pass
p.s. 日本語で話すことができますか？WGU B.S. Information Technology (Completed January 2013)
