sigh..failed 680..

Lord Nikon

Well, took the test today and thought I did decent, and the last screen came up, of a score of 664. I felt so defeated, and beat down. I know its just a test, but still. I believe that I caused myself to fail. Why? Well I finished the testin 45 minutes and I had two questions I had marked as review. I changed those answers in my review. Could they have passed me? Maybe. Maybe not.

This was my first test in over 10 years. I thought I was ready, I took month to study, reading a chapter each over a few days, watching the CBT Nuggets that matched the chapter on the weekend, used Testout/labsim to do my labs and even did some of the microsoft free ones. I had three books, the kit, an examcram and sybex (I think thats the name). Anyhow, I did all the reading and watching up until a 4 days before the test. I spend this past weekend, taking tests from the CDs that came with the books and from Testout. I was scoring high 700s and low 800s. I wasn't happy with the results, but I was confident that I would pass.

So I am retaking the test next monday, I know the areas I am weak in from the print out, and that is what I will focus on for reading and video watching.

So I guess writing this post helps me feel better. Any advice for me?

Essendon

You have my commiserations on failing this test. From what I've heard, it's not easy. Looks like you had all that's required to pass an exam, except for your own lab. Did you practice deployment, file permissions, DirectAccess/BranchCache, bitlocker and all the rest on the exam blueprint. IMO, and I sure most people would concur, you need to have done some hands-on for a test. Merely reading, watching the CBT's and taking a practice test over and over is not enough.

Take my advice and set up a test lab in VMware/VirtualPC or some other similar virtualisation program and lab everything till you understand how and why something happens. And you werent far off either, lab for a couple of weeks or so, hit your weak points and go hammer this sucker into submission.

netBooger

I just finally passed this test after failing it. I didn't fully grasp the deployment stuff until I actually built, modified, and deployed an image. Stick with it and don't give up that way all of the material is still fresh in your mind and you will pass.

npraetorius

I passed the 70-680 a couple of weeks ago. Although I studied Off and On for nearly 5 months, since I work and have a family to raise. I learned a lot from two resources.
1) MCTS 70-680 Cert Guide: Microsoft Windows 7, Configuring by Don Poulton.
2) www.professormesser.com

I watched the professor messer videos and he is an excellent instructor. I watched his A+ training and it helped me pass the A+ exam. The book from Don Poulton was perfect for me, it was not difficult to read and it made things easier to understand.

My advice is to watch the videos as a review. As you take the test read the questions carefully, before trying to answer. Figure out what they are asking for first, then mark Off each possible answer and then choose the best answer. They throw questions that may seem obvious but after reading the questions twice or three times, I new what they were asking for.
Good luck on the exam!

Excellent1

I just wanted to take a moment to encourage you to keep this exam in perspective. You didn't pass it, but you now have a better idea of what you need to work on and how the questions are worded (which can be surprising, depending on which practice exams you've been using). That disappointed, defeated feeling you had when you posted is actually a very good thing. You feel like that because this means something to you--it's important. The fact is that you need to worry when you fail and could care less about the outcome.

As it is, you need to take that frustration you feel and channel that into a new plan of attack. Grab a different resource, take some new notes, spend some time applying what you've learned in a lab situation. Try to break it down by objective, focusing on your worst area first.

The truth is that very few things of value in life are easy, but most are achievable with persistence. Sometimes it takes a few failures to figure out what method works best to accomplish a certain goal, whatever that may be. Just remember that it's not your failures that define you, but how you react to them.

Best of luck on your next attempt.

Psoasman

Sorry to hear you didn't pass, you were very close. I would look over the exam objectives and lab on what you aren't clear about or feel could use some more work. If you are not confident at that point, I'd reschedule for a week out.

Lord Nikon

Thanks for the kind words for me guys and thanks for all the tips. I will try those new videos to watch.

On a side note, I scored perfect on deployment and migration...

Lord Nikon

OK 3 days until I take this take, I've been doing the practice questions that came with the MS press and exam cram, as well as the Testout/labsim prep test, and I've been scoring at least 900s, far better then I was doing before I took my first test. I was scoring mid 700s to low 800s. So hopefully after cracking the books and doing some labbing this weekend, monday will be a great day! Wish me luck

Asif Dasl

Good Luck!

QHalo

Others have also recommended looking over the 685/6 material as well as there are items covered in that material that show up on that exam.