WTH! This is not taking me anywhere

thehourman

I just want to rant about my studies. I know some of you guys have been in this type of situation before.
I started my 70-640 in October 2010, and now it is December 06, 2010 and I'm currently on page 203 (MS Press). I am getting use to AD now, but my interest is not growing at all. I am actually losing it.
I am not sure if it is book is too boring or may be networking really pulling me away from MS.
The only reason I started 70-640 is that many jobs in MD requires MS certs. Therefore, I chose Server Administrator then continue my Cisco path.
But the thing is it has been two months, and I am like 20% of the book.

I need some motivation to continue this.
Right now, I'm thinking of quitting, but quitting is not an option.
Another option is to delay it, but still...

Essendon

What other supplemental material are you using to help you comprehend the material better? The CBT Nuggets are good as usual, anything from James Conrad is good. Have you got a lab that you practice what you read? A lab is a must, if you just read a book, I dont blame you for feeling bored, it's not like reading a sci-fi novel.

When I first started on the EA track, I went for the 640 first, like you, got bored as hell. I changed things a notch and started working on the 642 which I found more interesting. Then I went back to the 640 and finished it in about a month. Thing is you go to keep yourself interested. If your interest is on the wane, mix it up with something else. No one's forcing you to study one particular cert, so yeah mix it up. You should find the 642 more interesting as it deals with networking more than the 640, especially since you have passed a Cisco cert. HTH!

TheShadow

Yup 640 is boring, try 642 and then come back.

640 is the Microsoft kool-aid that you must eventually drink and for many their mind says run away, run away. You maybe do not realise it yet but it is a set of technologies that you absolutely must master if you are going to be a server wonk in the MS world. To mess up a companies AD is to want to slice ones belly. So maybe they make it boring to see if this is what you really want to do but when it clicks, it clicks. Kind of like hitting you with subnetting methods for beginning Cisco. The master of AD is like owning root in the Linux world i.e. "don't mess with me Luser" for I can make your life very difficult.

Switch to another exam and come back later if you need to, for you must be in the right frame of mind to tackle 640 content.

good luck mate.

ehnde

I agree with the two posters above me! Forget that book for a little bit and try labbing. Maybe look at the exam objectives and cook up some what-if scenarios in your lab. Google some tutorials to walk you through the exam objectives in your lab. You are labbing this all out, aren't ya?

Yes sir I'm bored with the stupid microsoft books too. What you need is a sense of purpose! The lab will happily oblige.

WilliamK99

Variety is the key when it comes to any certification. Mix it up, do some CBT Nuggets, look into Labsim, maybe look for some free online tutorials. Whatever the budget allows. I make it a rule to never read a book for more than 45-60 minutes at a time, any longer and IMO your retention level drops. Keep your mind and body fresh and you can retain alot more information.

thehourman

I don't have CBT Nuggets videos.
I am reading MS Press, Network Warrior, and Network Maintenance Guide.

I am thinking of getting the Sybex 70-640, since Sybex' books seem pretty good.

I am using Virtualbox and Server 2008 R2 trial for my lab.

@Essendon,
Did you finish the 70-642 then came back to finish the 70-640?

phoeneous

thehourman wrote: »

I am not sure if it is book is too boring...

All MS books are boring to me. I prefer to use video cbt's instead.

RobertKaucher

phoeneous wrote: »

All MS books are boring to me. I prefer to use video cbt's instead.

Isn't this the truth?

What I find works best for study is skimming the books and labbing. Nothing hands on is really boring because of frustration of things not working. Use the MS Press books to guide your labs - not to put you to sleep. Then, when you start doing actual test prep, do focused reading on the sections you are having issues with. This means you are digesting 30 pages of stuff you know to be a problem; which will improve your motivation. Plus you will only have a few pages to read, so you don't look at the remaining 500 and think "uuuuugh!"

cyberguypr

+1 on WilliamK99's suggestion on putting the book down before an hour. At some point it will become pointless to keep reading. If you feel that nothing is sticking, just put it down. Otherwise you will be wasting your time.

I did 70-640, 642, 643 and 647 this year. My OCD kicked in so I had to do them in numerical order. If you use MS Press exclusively, you will definitely feel like smashing your head against a brick wall. Those books are as dry as the Qatar desert. Two things helped me overcome the dryness: labbing and using videos such as CBT Nuggets, TrainSignal, etc. A good video trainer can make a big difference. For some reason my mind was not sinking into the 70-647 book. Once I incroporated CBT Nuggets, it was like day and night. Once you are done with the video and book, you may want to throw in a Sybex or some other book just to make sure you don't miss anything.

Get the videos, prepare your lab and use the book as a reference. Once you are done go ahead and delete al virtual machines and recreate the lab from zero.

earweed

+1 ^^^^ This guy has the right idea.

I have to agree with the above posters. The MS material is a real tranquilizer. Use CBT whether it be CBT Nuggets, Labsim, or Trainsignal and then lab and practice test to see what you're having trouble with. I'm finally finding this to be a good way to go as my 647 studies are way more productive than my old read, lab, repeat, method. I'm using Labsim first and not locking myself into 4-5 hour readings. Some 4-5 hour viewing/ labbing and 40-50 minutes reading.
If nothing else then switch to studying the 642 material as it's less dry and the sybex book will help as it complements the MS Press book quite well.

thehourman

I am going to buy the Sybex book tonight when I get home from work.
If you have read it, how was it? I am planning to read it first then go back to MS press.
Also, does anyone know if this comes with audio instruction? According to the description it does, but I think it is a trial version of the audio instruction.

Unfortunately, I do not have CBT nuggets videos, so I am stuck with what I currently have.

earweed

I thoght the Sybex book was less dry.. but still kind of dry.

thehourman

Well that is a bit better than completely dry.

Man, I thought I was the only one who's getting bore with MS press. I feel a little bit better now, now that I know most of you guys felt the same way.

Geez, now that I am a bit motivated, I have to go to work. Fate is a b*tch sometimes.

QHalo

RobertKaucher wrote: »

Isn't this the truth?

What I find works best for study is skimming the books and labbing. Nothing hands on is really boring because of frustration of things not working. Use the MS Press books to guide your labs - not to put you to sleep. Then, when you start doing actual test prep, do focused reading on the sections you are having issues with. This means you are digesting 30 pages of stuff you know to be a problem; which will improve your motivation. Plus you will only have a few pages to read, so you don't look at the remaining 500 and think "uuuuugh!"

I like this format and I think it works for me as well. I'm definitely not a reader at all and these monstrosities they call books these days make me cringe something fierce. For the 70-680 stuff and the Citrix stuff I've been working with I just dove in and started installing and configuring it, especially with Citrix. When I find something I don't understand hit the book and figure it out or the support forums. I've learned more doing that than reading the admin guides. I typically only use those for fundamental technologies of the product I'm studying. Get the basics, lab from there.