Client Exam - XP or Vista

StevenFL02 · December 2007

Hello everyone,

I want to get started on the MCSE 2003. I just have a simple question.

Wouldn't it probably make sense to take the 70-620 Vista exam rather than the 70-270 XP exam.

Am I correct that you can use the Vista exam for MCSE 2003?

So by having the 70-620 done, this would be one less exam to take to upgrade to MCITP Enterprise Admin in the future?

Thanks.

dynamik · December 2007

StevenFL02 wrote:

Wouldn't it probably make sense to take the 70-620 Vista exam rather than the 70-270 XP exam.

I would say that XP still has a lot of life in it. I've actually had some real bad luck with Vista (both with regular hardware and a lot of the proprietary equipment we use), so I'm not going to be going with a company-wide upgrade for quite some time. At our location, Vista will probably just gradually take over as we buy new machines and as support for our hardware improves. I think that most organizations are going to be relatively slow to adapt as well. It really depends on your personal situation and what you think you'll be working with.

StevenFL02 wrote:

Am I correct that you can use the Vista exam for MCSE 2003?

http://www.microsoft.com/learning/mcp/mcse/windows2003/default.mspx

2000, XP, or Vista

StevenFL02 wrote:

So by having the 70-620 done, this would be one less exam to take to upgrade to MCITP Enterprise Admin in the future?

Yes. You need the upgrade, one of the Vista exams, and the Enterprise exam.

Marphyre · December 2007

http://www.microsoft.com/learning/mcp/mcse/windows2003/default.mspx

Looks to me like that would be the case, unless your current employer is still in XP with no plans for upgrading anytime soon, then the XP exam may fit better...or they may not care, so save the $125+study time/materials!

StevenFL02 · December 2007

Thanks a lot for the advice. I'm leaning towards taking the Vista exam, just so I can avoid having to take an extra test in the future.

Daniel333 · December 2007

I have not taken either the Vista or XP exam, but I just compeleted an online course on Vista and a have been working on my XP exam. It almost seems like the Vista exam is easier, if that influences you in either direction.

Slowhand · December 2007

My recommendation, as it's been for a lot of people asking the same question, is to go for the 70-620 exam and knock out the client exam for both MCSE and MCITP: Enterprise Administrator. In the end, nothing's stopping you from picking up a good admin book and knowing how to administrate XP as well. It's just a matter of spending the time and money to pass a potentially superflous exam, versus passing one that covers both bases.

famosbrown · December 2007

Slowhand wrote:

My recommendation, as it's been for a lot of people asking the same question, is to go for the 70-620 exam and knock out the client exam for both MCSE and MCITP: Enterprise Administrator. In the end, nothing's stopping you from picking up a good admin book and knowing how to administrate XP as well. It's just a matter of spending the time and money to pass a potentially superflous exam, versus passing one that covers both bases.

Agreed. If I were in this situation, I would study, learn, and test for Vista, but study and learn XP as well...just me. If you have the money, I would even take the XP exam just for kicks...especially if your company is paying for it.

Client Exam - XP or Vista

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