Update on Windows 7 Exam Retirement Dates

MCP2000

Born to Learn posted that the Windows 7 exams will retire July 31 2018.

680
680: TS: Windows 7, Configuring
Retire 7/31/2018

685
685: Windows 7, Enterprise Desktop Support Technician
Retire 7/31/2018

686
686: Windows 7, Enterprise Desktop Administrator
Retire 7/31/2018

https://borntolearn.mslearn.net/b/weblog/posts/updates-on-exam-retirements-january-2017

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Comments

chopsticks

Thanks for the update!

Arrmanas

Will it be a waste if I attempt 685 now?

OctalDump

Arrmanas wrote: »

Will it be a waste if I attempt 685 now?

If you do 685 now, then you will get the Microsoft Specialist certification. At some point after the exams retire, your certification will be listed as "Legacy". It will still be a valid certification. If you also have 680, then you can get the MCITP: Enterprise Desktop Technician certification.

According to MS schedule, you'll have more than 12 months to study and pass the exam, so there is time to get this certification.

There are, at the moment, lots of Windows 7 computers deployed and lots of enterprises still using Windows 7. So a Windows 7 certification still has some usefulness.

There isn't currently an upgrade path from Windows 7 to Windows 10 certification. There is a "kind of" upgrade path from Windows 7 to Server 2012. If you pass the 680 and 686, then you can get MCSA Server 2012 by passing 70-417. Pass one more exam and you can get MCSE.

SweenMachine

Arrmanas wrote: »

Will it be a waste if I attempt 685 now?

To piggyback off Octal, this is still a valid and relevant certification. At my company, as a hosted and non-hosted MSP for hundreds of clients, Windows 7 is still on the majority of workstations, although it falls by the day. Outside of that, the 685 is my singular favorite certification I have passed. I learned the most during the study for that certification in regards to supporting users and workstations.

I still recommend this certification to my staff. However, starting this summer I will probably no longer do so, as it give us no benefit in any of our MS partner statuses.

Good luck!
-scott

uzumaki_1

Need some advice here if anyone can help out.

Am working as a 1st line support technician at the moment. I do dab into 2nd line work quite often and I wanting to progress into a full 2nd line support role. My manager has worked out a plan for me to do the 70-680 exam and after passing, a little salary increase incentive. I've nearly finished revision for the 70-680 exam but after passing the exam what do people recommend I do certification wise ? Also was studying for the 70-680 a good stepping stone into becoming a 2nd line technician ?

Thanks in advance.

-Raj

Pseudonym

The 685/686 no longer give you an MCITP. You now only earn a Microsoft Specialist certification. They're still good for the knowledge gained of course, just making people aware that the MCITP is now retired.

Something also to remember about the 685 is, they will bombard you with server level terminology, a lot of which is extraneous but if you don't have much server knowledge the questions will be overwhelming. I also found that this exam more than any other has a lot of questions that are not covered in any training material. Bare that in mind before taking this exam. Microsoft expects deep level troubleshooting knowledge gained through experience.

Pseudonym

I passed 685 in March, and passed 686 in June. I received MCITP for the 685, but only received an MS specialist for the 686. I contacted Microsoft about it, and they informed me that the MCITP title had been retired on the 31st of March. Is MCITP definitely on your transcript?

Pseudonym

Interesting. The US MCITP states that all MCITP titles retired on July 31st 2016... I don't know why they can't just make this stuff simple. Are you based in the UK?

Pseudonym

They're now saying they have in fact retired, and there is misleading information on the website and are looking into refunding me for the exam.

Pseudonym

Yeah, that's an even more complicated situation. Hopefully they can retrospectively award us the exam titles because the situation is really unfair, especially for you wanting to do the upgrade.

Pseudonym

Have they at least offered you a refund? I'm waiting for a call back from them. They said they're either going to refund me, or get the MCITP title on my transcript(the latter being my preference). I'd try and kick up a fuss with them and get whatever you can, it seems that people sitting the 70-409 are also having issues with retirement dates not being announced, so don't give up on it just yet.

Pseudonym

I think a lot of the time it depends on who you get on the other end of the phone and how much they can be bothered helping you. I'm going to call back myself if I don't have a call returned within the next 24 hours or so, and I want the MCITP title more than a refund, so if we're both trying to get the same thing it might pressure them into it.. Hopefully.

Pseudonym

I'd say it almost certainly was me.

Called back, they said the case has been dispatched to the correct team for review, and although they couldn't give me an exact timescale, I should expect to wait about a week for a resolution...

uzumaki_1

Thanks for the response. I can see that there is somewhat of a controversy around doing the 685 and 686 and gaining an MCITP. Can anyone advise what sort of qualifications i would need to get into 2nd line work ? I know every company has their own idea of what they'd like their 2nd line technician to cover but is there a minimum criteria for it ? Am not looking to stay at my current place for a very long time so when i leave i'd like to be as ready as i can for a 2nd line position. After taking the 680 instead of doing the 685 or 686 would any recommend i do a CompTIA Network+ Certification ?

uzumaki_1

As am going through the 680 revision and doing the exam would it be okay to skip A+ and just go for Net+? I've had a look at the A+ chapters and i've noticed that it covers the same chapters as 680 but has an extra 10-30% content.

uzumaki_1

Ahh okay. Well my plans have now been ruined as the 2nd line engineer at my work place has handed his notice in and I have 4 weeks to learn as much as I can as I'll be promoted to 2nd line!! Was hoping I could study gradually work my way into the role but guess that's not happening!! Panic!!!!

uzumaki_1

Hi,

I've been studying every evening for the past month and then I actually took a week off just to finish all the chapters but I've got two more chapters left to cover. Yeah his week I've started practice exams and so out of 30 questions am getting 10 wrong so I need to go through my notes and re-read them. I never mentioned that I also dab into SQL work so working in the database environment and performing very easy code work and fixes. My manager has told me that he'll need to send me on a SQL database management course and exam in the next 3-4 months. So not only am I having to deal with finishing the 680, put aside my networking course but also take a course and pass the exam in a area that am not wanting to progress in. I wasn't looking to specialise in anything right now. I understand that a 2nd line position relies on the engineer having networking skills and knowledge and that's something that I don't have much on which is why I wanted to concentrate on the networking course. I dip into a lot of different things at work but am not an expert on area, which is something that I was hoping to do by starting with the 780 course!!!!!

uzumaki_1

Over the past few days I've been quite worried about what's going to happen and my expectations of this role but I've been explained, by my manager, that help will be given if needed (we have external 3rd line support) and that I won't be expected to know everything straight away but I do need to pick things up quickly and continue doing self study at hom. This means I finish my Windows 7 revision and take he exam. I'll have an SQL management exam which I'll go somewhere for a week in a classroom environment and then I can concentrate on maybe Windows Server and extra study, maybe N+. It's gonna be though over the next few months but if I can get through them then I should be fine!! Thank you skyliinez92 for the words of wisdom!!!

Pseudonym

Microsoft wouldn't give me the MCITP title, but gave me 2 free exam codes.. I can't really complain.

How did you get on?

krokodilo

Apologies for the necro post but I just found out these exams are being retired but what I am rather confused about is the fact that I can still book the 70-680 exam on the Microsoft website, as in the price shows and I can click "schedule exam", despite it being well passed the dates:

https://www.microsoft.com/en-gb/learning/retired-certification-exams.aspx

This is the page of the exam: https://www.microsoft.com/en-gb/learning/exam-70-680.aspx

Anyone have a clue what's going on?