MCTS - 70-431 MS Press Training Kit Exam Software

I am currently studying for the 70-431 exam. I have been preparing since
December, and hope to take the test in about a month or so.
As a final aspect of my preparation, I have been spending time taking the
practice exams included with the MCTS 70-431 Training Kit.

I have been frustrated recently by the seeming lack of consistancy between
what the Training Kit manual, Books Online and other resources say, and what
the MS Press Practice Test seems to think is correct. The test is "powered by
MeasureUp".

For example, a recent question on database mirroring in the sample test
claimed that the default state for an endpoint is STARTED, when all the other
materials say that the default state is STOPPED.

Another question on the mock test asked which command produced a list of Sql
Server Agent jobs that had been cancelled.
I thought that the correct answer should have been sp_help_jobhistory
@run_status=3, but that choice was not available.
The "correct" answer, according to the test software was sp_help_jobhistory
@run_status=5. I checked Books Online
(http://msdn2.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ms188025.aspx), and a value of 5
indicates status = "Unknown".
Books Online also clearly stated that jobs that had been cancelled returned
an integer 3.

I am frustrated and discouraged by these results.
Should I assume that the actual certification exam maintains these
inaccuracies, or should I assume that the practice test software is buggy?

Any input here would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,
Simon Doubt

Simon Doubt

I'm studying for this exam to but just started a week ago.... but I had the
same problem with another exam, the 70-445 exam. When I pass the real exam, I
did not had the same problem.

The best advice I can give you is to verify things that seem strang to you
by trying it, it's the best way to be sure of the real answer.... if of
course its possible to test it

But don't worry, real exam didn't have those problem in my case
thx bye
Bill

"Simon Doubt" wrote:

> I am currently studying for the 70-431 exam. I have been preparing since
> December, and hope to take the test in about a month or so.
> As a final aspect of my preparation, I have been spending time taking the
> practice exams included with the MCTS 70-431 Training Kit.
>
> I have been frustrated recently by the seeming lack of consistancy between
> what the Training Kit manual, Books Online and other resources say, and what
> the MS Press Practice Test seems to think is correct. The test is "powered by
> MeasureUp".
>
> For example, a recent question on database mirroring in the sample test
> claimed that the default state for an endpoint is STARTED, when all the other
> materials say that the default state is STOPPED.
>
> Another question on the mock test asked which command produced a list of Sql
> Server Agent jobs that had been cancelled.
> I thought that the correct answer should have been sp_help_jobhistory
> @run_status=3, but that choice was not available.
> The "correct" answer, according to the test software was sp_help_jobhistory
> @run_status=5. I checked Books Online
> (http://msdn2.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ms188025.aspx), and a value of 5
> indicates status = "Unknown".
> Books Online also clearly stated that jobs that had been cancelled returned
> an integer 3.
>
> I am frustrated and discouraged by these results.
> Should I assume that the actual certification exam maintains these
> inaccuracies, or should I assume that the practice test software is buggy?
>
> Any input here would be greatly appreciated.
>
> Thanks,
> Simon Doubt

Billy Bernard

Bill:

Thank you very much for your feedback - I appreciate it.
I'm glad to hear that the read exam is not buggy.

Regards,
Simon

"Billy Bernard" wrote:

> I'm studying for this exam to but just started a week ago.... but I had the
> same problem with another exam, the 70-445 exam. When I pass the real exam, I
> did not had the same problem.
>
> The best advice I can give you is to verify things that seem strang to you
> by trying it, it's the best way to be sure of the real answer.... if of
> course its possible to test it
>
> But don't worry, real exam didn't have those problem in my case
> thx bye
> Bill
>
> "Simon Doubt" wrote:
>
> > I am currently studying for the 70-431 exam. I have been preparing since
> > December, and hope to take the test in about a month or so.
> > As a final aspect of my preparation, I have been spending time taking the
> > practice exams included with the MCTS 70-431 Training Kit.
> >
> > I have been frustrated recently by the seeming lack of consistancy between
> > what the Training Kit manual, Books Online and other resources say, and what
> > the MS Press Practice Test seems to think is correct. The test is "powered by
> > MeasureUp".
> >
> > For example, a recent question on database mirroring in the sample test
> > claimed that the default state for an endpoint is STARTED, when all the other
> > materials say that the default state is STOPPED.
> >
> > Another question on the mock test asked which command produced a list of Sql
> > Server Agent jobs that had been cancelled.
> > I thought that the correct answer should have been sp_help_jobhistory
> > @run_status=3, but that choice was not available.
> > The "correct" answer, according to the test software was sp_help_jobhistory
> > @run_status=5. I checked Books Online
> > (http://msdn2.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ms188025.aspx), and a value of 5
> > indicates status = "Unknown".
> > Books Online also clearly stated that jobs that had been cancelled returned
> > an integer 3.
> >
> > I am frustrated and discouraged by these results.
> > Should I assume that the actual certification exam maintains these
> > inaccuracies, or should I assume that the practice test software is buggy?
> >
> > Any input here would be greatly appreciated.
> >
> > Thanks,
> > Simon Doubt

Simon Doubt