70-680 Pass or Fail?

So like many people I have greatly underestimated this exam, however I should have known considering the old MCDST XP. For the last 2 days I have put 11 hours a day in studying like crazy and I am grasping the topics along with retaining the knowledge rather well I think. Now to the point of underestimating, I only gave myself 5 days before I take my exam

I am using the good old professor messer when I can't stand reading anymore and the William Panek book. I do the labs and really try to push myself when It comes to the commands along with the added strings possible. Every test I take in the panek book I at-least make 80% in each subject. I understand it's not possible to understand my exact training/skill level but does anyone even think it is even possible? I am going to try no matter what so please do not suggest I reschedule as that is not what I am asking.

Thank you guys

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JayBlisk

Not sure but good luck on your exam. I'm study my butt off for it right now too.

medal

Thanks I will pray for you

Baack

Not to scare you but one of my work mates who "knew" his stuff had to take and fail two times before he finally passed
So dont be affraid to fail
Its possible I guess

medal

Thank you guys for your input, I am going to attempt to "REALLY" focus on the AD/Deployment/Policy's part as I can see how they could focus on those subject that the vast majority including me have had little to no experience. Anyone want to give me a head up on some of the off the wall questions without breaking the NDA if that is even possible?

Thank you guys again.

JayBlisk

@medal Thanks and I will pray for you! Download one of the members study notes as they have also been very helpful for me.

cswimc

I just took the exam and passed with an 860. IMHO it's not a test to just wing it, but if you cram like crazy you can pull it off.

The best way to learn the stuff is to apply the concepts - ie LABS!

Personally, I downloaded virtualbox, made a few VM's and then went to town learning the WAIK tools, branchecache etc.

On my exam, there was a lot on Branchcache, Bitlocker, and USMT. That may not be the case for you but just make sure you know it!

Good Luck!

JayBlisk

Couldnt agree more with cswimc. I have been mainly labbing during my studies and it has helped tremendously

medal

I have just read that you will be able to use the built in calc for your 70-680 certification, my source is the Microsoft prep book ver.1. Is this correct????... If I had known this maybe then I would not be on the verge of a nervous breakdown. Please SAY IT IS SOOO

lsud00d

I didn't have to use the calculator for anything on my 70-680.

Free99

Passed mine on Friday, took 3 tries smh. Used official microsoft textbook, vmware, and a bootcamp class thanks to the Army. Congrats to you and anyone else who passed, I thought the test was extremely hard all 3 times I took it.

JayBlisk

@Free99 Congrats on ur pass!!!

medal

Ok guys I take my test tomorrow

I have worked my ass off hitting the objectives and I think I have a slight chance of passing as long as it does not attempt to go to far down the rabbit hole. I Have gone through the complete Panek and cross referenced with the the topics I need to really focus on in the Microsoft self based eBook however it is ver 1. I have used professor messers videos however I did not feel he went as deep as I am suspecting the exam to go so I focus mainly on Panek and labbing anything I did not understand from concept. For some reason I don't feel videos are the best way to prepare for the exam , but that might just be my learning style. Any last suggestions or study guides? Pray for me guys

ps. I also used the portable command guide and intend to review the command(s) the night before and the morning of the test.

enob

How did you do?

ThePCwiz

I just passed the 70-680 this morning. First try. I don't say that to brag, but I was lucky to have time to study and actually apply what I was learning on the way. The test is not as easy as I would have liked, but hey I feel accomplished now after passing the test.
Materials I used:
CBT nuggets videos
CBT test (Transcender)
Windows 7 Administrator pocket guide (ISBN - 978-0-7356-2699-7)
MCTS 70-680 Configuring Windows 7: Training Guide (ISBN: 978-0-7356-2708-6)
Sticky Notes from here (http://www.techexams.net/forums/windows-7-exams/42480-70-680-resources.html) Thanks CLAYMORE

All that over a 4 month period HELPED greatly.

bub9001

Anyone going on to take 70-685 or 70-686? I passed my 70-680 almost 2 years ago. I was so feed up with Microsoft that I hit pause. Now I wish I would have pushed on and finished my MCITP then. What are some of you doing moving forward? I know that some are required by school to go 70-680 to complete classes. But there is a market for Desktop support, so much that I have seen MCITP and MCSA listed in job requirements for openings.

Go4Hike

Medal, hope it went your way. Some folks can cram like that and pass with flying colors, for me, it's a much lengthier process and a laborious long term commitment to study, we're all different that way. When I took the 70-680 I used the Microsoft Press book (intensely disliked it, full of errors, BUT went through it twice & it truly DID force me to learn the material), and worked through the Panek book which was not bad, but not near as thorough. I didn't know about Messer at the time, or would have added that. I also always buy Self-Test practice exams.

Bub9001 - I am in the same boat as you, I passed the 70-680 two years ago, and probably haven't retained as much of it as I would like, so am really having to re-focus my efforts. I took about 3 months to study for that exam, a couple hours each evening, and almost every weekend. I passed, but not with as high a score as I would like considering what I put into it. But I took the pass

I am giving myself a similar timeline for the 70-685, though am struggling with getting a proper lab setup. I'm using the Microsoft Press book and purchased the Gibson Portable Command Guide, and plan to review a lot of TechNet material, I found that was helpful with the 70-680.

ITMonkey

I'm in the camp of people needing two months or more to be able to pass a Microsoft exam. Frankly, I have trouble believing someone can do it with only a week or two of reading a single book. Maybe I am a slow learner.

To really feel comfortable with the new knowledge, I like to lab it to death. That is, going beyond what's asked for in the lab exercise.

And when I tire of the book I am reading -- this happens a lot -- I like to TechNet to review what I learned in the book. The review is helpful, and most of the time I learn more details than the book goes into.

Xyro

ITMonkey wrote: »

I'm in the camp of people needing two months or more to be able to pass a Microsoft exam. Frankly, I have trouble believing someone can do it with only a week or two of reading a single book. Maybe I am a slow learner.

No, you're normal lol.

daviddws

I also need 2-3 months to really understand the material. Just passed the 70-680, going for 70-685 this year to pick up the MCITP and MCSA before Microsoft **** the MCITP cert.

About7Narwhal

For the guys who have taken this exam a while ago, do you really need to know most of this? I am hoping to come out with this cert soon, but it seems like most of this stuff would end up being reviewed and more important for the SCCM or Server level stuff. My goal is to pass the exam and remember as much as I can, but I doubt I will remember much other than the options available (eg: USMT, but not the commands etc.) to me because I never use it.