How is the Examcram 70-640 Book?

How is this book to use for testing on the exam? Exam Cram 70-640 MCTS. Going to use this in conjunction with CBT Nuggets videos and reviewing particular sections on technet + labbing through the MS Press book (not reading MS Press just labbing through it)

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Comments

jmritenour

As far as I know, none of the MCITP Exam Crams were ever updated for R2, so they're not a very good resource. Someone please correct me if I'm wrong.

xkaijinx

Oh man.. I guess I will drop the examcram book immediately, and read/lab through the MSPress Book. Thanks for that bro big save

Lunchbocks

I have searched for an R2 version of Exam Cram, ans as of two weeks ago it didn't exist.

netsysllc

The R2 updates can be a big part of the exam. The MS Press book is okay but really lacks in preparing one for the exam.

Lunchbocks

I am using the MS Self-Paced Training for R2, Windows Server 2008 R2 unleashed, CBT nuggets, and am getting Transcender today. I will be testing in three weeks.

tpb100

I liked the Exam Cram 70-640 book but it doesn't cover the 2008 R2 stuff. It's full of good questions as well. My Microsoft Press 60-740 book doesn't cover R2 either. Where the Exam Cram book is good is it covers almost all individual Syllabus items as individual sections. I read the Microsoft Press 70-640 book which was good for getting a bit of depth of knowledge on some subjects. I also built a lab environment from the suggested practices/lab. After finishing this, I went through the Exam Cram book (which is only about 420 pages of actual info large print, the rest are mock tests). It doesn't really go into any depth, but it's gives a good idea.

The big problem is... R2. From my very limited experience of taking one exam, MS seemed to include enough R2 questions that you need to learn the additional few core subjects. However there isn't that much extra stuff and you can find good resources on the web that give enough info about them.

Here's a link to major changes in R2 (What's New in Active Directory Domain Services (AD DS) in Windows Server 2008 R2). I think each subject has links to online help guides. Most of the stuff isn't too difficult to learn online. However I've never needed to use AD FS and large enterprise certificate services, so I found these updates in R2 very difficult without having a good in depth book.

This link was also good. About a third of the way down a MS guy highlights in red the changes in the syllabus in 2008 R2. Other guys also point out subject areas and commands you can expect to face. As you can see there isn't as much as you might think, however expect it to come up: 70-640 exam content - Windows 2008 R2 and Windows 7.

I found this link had a quick write up on what's changed in certificate services in R2: http://allcomputers.us/windows_server/understanding-and-installing-active-directory-certificate-services-%28part-2%29---new-ad-cs-features-in-windows-server-2008-r2---installing-ad-cs.aspx.

All my study material was just for 2008. I researched the areas in red, however I really would have liked a book for the certificate stuff. I didn't really find the MS Press book or the Exam Cram book covered this subject in enough depth.

I got the latest syllabus from MS web site, split it down into each section and wrote notes under each point. Ended up with 50 pages of notes but at least I knew I'd covered most of the core stuff. Going to do the same with the 70-642 exam as my study guides are just for 2008.

Basically I would have failed if I didn't know the R2 stuff. If you're weak in a subject area (as I am), I suspect also getting the other R2 questions wrong will tip you over the edge. If you're strong in all 2008 areas, getting the R2 questions wrong will probably lower your score but you'll still pass.

** Sorry for using full messy URL links, but I like to know where links are taking me before I click on them.

Keener

Lunchbocks wrote: »

I am using the MS Self-Paced Training for R2, Windows Server 2008 R2 unleashed, CBT nuggets, and am getting Transcender today. I will be testing in three weeks.

Good Luck! I am looking forward to hearing our results!

Lunchbocks

Thanks, me too