XP or Vista

Hey Guys,

Need your advise on what client exam to take for my mcsa - 620 or 270. I just passed 70-290 so I'm confident that I can pass 70-270 next. Some people told me to just take the vista exam because XP will be retired soon (don't know when). Is it true that the next windows OS will be based on the Vista?

Thanks.

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Daniel333

I found a lot on the 70-270 worth learning, like creating sysprep images etc. Not expiring anytime soon, Microsoft exams tend to expire when the industry ditches a technology, and from XP's market share that is a long way off.

The 70-620 is kinda... well. Lets just say I don't respect it as much. Talks about Xboxes and how to connect your laptop to a digital projector that kind of thing. Not technical from my experience. More power user.

skrpune

there's no word on the XP 270 exam being retired as far as I know. You can use either 270 or 620 for your MCSA/MCSE OS exam, so which exam you take is entirely up to you. If you have access to Vista and are weak on domain stuff, then 620 might be a better fit. But if you're strong on domain environment topics and already passed the 290, then that's probably not an issue for you. So I just say do whichever exam you want and whichever exam will be the best fit for your career moving forward.

ianmats

Thanks guys for your opinions.

amp2030

I took both.

Nobylspoon

One thing to consider is 70-620 is good for both MCSA/E and the newer MCITP so if you have plans of eventually getting certified in Server 2008 as well as 2003 then 70-620 would be in your best interested unless you want to take 2 OS exams.

ThunderPipe

Windows 7 is coming out. From my experiences and what I've read online, Vista is dead, dying, was never born, is an adopted red headed step child, sewer monster...etc. XP has been around for awhile. And will continue to be, especially after the craziness that was Vista. I personally think that particular exam is a waste of time and money. But thats me. I'd go with XP all the way. Again, Windows 7 is coming out, and with Microsoft moving on this swiftly from Vista...I just don't see much worth in getting certified in it.

dynamik

The Vista exam can be applied to both the MCSA/E and the MCITP:EA, so you can kill two birds with one stone. Plus, Windows 7 is more like Vista than it is XP, so if you knock the Vista exam out, you'll be much more ready for the Windows 7 exam.

skrpune

ThunderPipe wrote: »

Windows 7 is coming out. From my experiences and what I've read online, Vista is dead, dying, was never born, is an adopted red headed step child, sewer monster...etc. XP has been around for awhile. And will continue to be, especially after the craziness that was Vista. I personally think that particular exam is a waste of time and money. But thats me. I'd go with XP all the way. Again, Windows 7 is coming out, and with Microsoft moving on this swiftly from Vista...I just don't see much worth in getting certified in it.

I've been a user for over a year, and I love it. Have you used Vista at all?

I think most of the hype over how "horrible" Vista is comes from those stupid Mac commercials. Sure, they're funny (at first), but if you've used Vista at all then you realize that they're just not true.

Some people just hate the new UAC features...ooooh, how awful that MS worked to make a more secure OS that asks you to confirm certain actions that can result in irreparable harm to your system, how *dare* they!

Got my 70-620 cert in December of 2007 and am using it towards my MCSA, and like dynamik & others have said, it can be used towards MCSE & MCITP as well. It also gets you status as both MCP & MCTS.

But if you have no access to Vista and only have access to XP, and/or if you don't want to go the virtual install method for Vista or if for some reason you just have a dire hatred of all things Vista, then go for the XP 70-270 exam. There's no right way or wrong way to go for your MCSA/MCSE, it just depends on what you want to do in the future & what choices you want to have in the future with different certification paths.

bsddaemon0

Take the 620 then the 622.

Nobylspoon

I am taking the 70-620 exam for a couple of reasons. I have been using Vista Ultimate 64bit since its release and I admit I ran into alot of problems at the start but that was more the fault of third party vendors not ready with device support, especially with the 64bit version. However that being said I have been really happy with Vista these past few years and after reading the MS Press study guide I also learned alot more about the OS and enjoy it even more.

I am working on my MCSA/E but I plan to continue my training with MCIPT:EA and as said earlier it is good for both. When Windows 7 is released I will take that exam as well and in a few years when the next Windows OS is released I will learn that and take that exam.

XP Pro is more widely excepted in the workplace but Vista will lay a better foundation to upcoming Windows OS's that workplaces will eventually migrate to. I still remember how long it took me to make the leap from Windows 98c because it seemed like nothing could ever replace it...

Devin McCloud

I was wondering the same thing, and originally I was going to study the 270 & 620 and then test out on the 620. Now I have changed course and think the 270 is a better choice. First, with the economy as is, I don't see a lot of business's upgrading to vista an time soon. Second, a lot of companies still use windows 2000 and windows 2003. Third I know XP very well and I will take my test in it because I think it will be more beneficial in the working environment. If you know XP Pro 100% take the Vista exam if not take the 270. As for me, I will leave it up to the employer to pay for my certs for 2008.

nel

Go for the vista exam so you can use it for both generations. you can easily read up on sysprep etc for XP. imo i dont think its worth taking the two exams. besides if you take XP and upgrade to 2008 you will have to take the vista exam. Be wise and save your dosh!

undomiel

The Vista exam won't force you into learning much in my opinion. The 270 exam will open up a lot about XP that you didn't know, thought you knew but didn't know, and perhaps even remind you of a few things that you'd forgotten. Since you've done th 290 you should be half prepared for the 270 already. From a learning point of view I'd totally recommend doing the 270. From the point of view of swiftest/easiest certification then skip the 270 and hit the 620 because like dynamik said that would be two birds with one stone if you're considering the MCITPs.

excalibur1814

If Windows 7 does what I feel it will, then the 70-620 and 70-622 are the one's to go for. Taking both of those exams pretty much (ish) replaces the 70-270.

Besides, Windows 7... the Vista exams will prepare you for that OS whereas the XP exams will simply show you XP. The question can be taken many ways and the only 'true' answer is as follows:

As it's part of our jobs or will be depending on where we end up, taking ALL of them is a good idea, albeit costly.

apena7

Just because another OS is released, it doesn't mean that every business in the world will adopt it quickly. It's clear that the majority of businesses have Windows installed in their computers, and the majority of those are XP.

It's best to grab the cert for the OS that has the most market share and, likewise, what you'll most likely encounter in the next few years. How long before the next generation OS becomes dominant in the workplace? Who knows.

But I'm studying for both

markk2008

I dont know if you're still looking, but I think that windows xp is going to be around for a while now, especailly after the flop or Vista, so it will not be a waste of time taking an exam in that, I think that a lot of IT Pro's are going to stick with it until windows 7 comes around and they will see how good that is. Then people may start moving over

Claymoore

undomiel wrote: »

The Vista exam won't force you into learning much in my opinion. The 270 exam will open up a lot about XP that you didn't know, thought you knew but didn't know, and perhaps even remind you of a few things that you'd forgotten. Since you've done th 290 you should be half prepared for the 270 already. From a learning point of view I'd totally recommend doing the 270. From the point of view of swiftest/easiest certification then skip the 270 and hit the 620 because like dynamik said that would be two birds with one stone if you're considering the MCITPs.

Why not do both? Use the 270 as the client OS exam and the 620 as the MCSE elective exam. You'll also earn an MCTS in the process and be ready to upgrade to the MCITP:EA since you already have the Vista exam.