Study materials for 70-290 ?

Hello,

This is a subject that is not new in this newsgroup and I have been
reading the posts related to these, however based on my "experience" I
have a couple questions.


I studied for the 70-290 using the MCSE Self-paced training kit from
MsPress. I bought the book last october but only started study a month
and a half ago.

I was aware of the "new" test format that MS was going to apply
beginning of April but still decided to take the test thinking that what
I knew from the book and the practice tests that were on the CD provided
with the book should be enough.

I unfortuntaly failed with a 600 ( which it's pretty bad since I guess
it represents a 60% ).

Some of the questions in the real test could definitely not be answered
by the MsPress book, it's as if the book I have was outdated for the
test I took on some subjects.

Then I downloaded ( not for free ) a practice exam from the measureup
website on 70-290 and realized that the questions there were in that
exam were more similar to the questions I had in the real test than the
ones in the book I purchased.



Davin Eastley in a month old post "70-290. Cannot Pass and need advice"
suggested a book from QUE, MCSA 70-290 training guide.


My questions are:
- Should I just redo all my studies pretty much from scratch and get the
QUE book ?
- Fortunately I signed for the 2nd shot deal, after studying the
practice exam I just downloaded from measure up could I just consider
myself ready for the test and take it asap ?


Thanks for your advices

 

Hey, don't feel too bad about failing, it happens. What most people do when
they fail is lose all confidence to the point where they procrastinate and
keep putting off taking that 2nd shot.

600 is probably not 60% as they not all questions will be weighted the same
and some won't even count if there are "test" questions in the exam... and
600 is not that bad either.

I wouldn't waste any more money if I were you on test kits, books etc... you
can't buy your way out of trouble. I do find that MS Press books are
dreadful exam prep guides, but they do contain the MINIMUM product
documentation to understand the topic. If you understood everything you
read, you should be able to deduce quite a lot of answers. On the issue of
troubleshooting, if you don't know where logs are or what permissions a
built in group has, this is where experience comes in.

Use the Technet site to research your topics in depth, read any relevant
whitepapers on the technology and use Virtual PC and 180 day eval software
to run test forests /domains. The more hands on the more chance you will
find the exam to be a piece of cake.

I get the feeling you don't have a lot of technical experience, is this
correct?

Good luck.

 

Don't Worry about it. I failed that exam two weeks ago, and I only got 503.
I used the MS Press book and also the Pocket Adminsitrators Companion for my
studying. I have brought a Thompson Prometic book now which seems to be a
lot better at explaining things. Plus the test cd you get with it has a lot
more of the questions you seen on the actual exam. I am taking Zed's advice
as well which is get loads of hands on experience. The only trouble at the
moment is I have only one Lab server. (DAMM DOG CHEWED THE OTHER
MOTHERBOARD)!!!

Going to try again in about a month. Don't give up!!!

 

Hey Zed,

Thanks for the support. It has been about 4 days now that I have been
studying the new measureup exam I downloaded. But this time I realized
my mistake.
When studying for my first exam I would pretty much remember the 300
answers of the practice questions that came with the book and not really
remember why the other choices were not the right ones.

When reading in details the explanations of why a specific answer got
chosen over another one on the new material I just purchased; quite a
lot of things became clearer.

I am planning on retaking the test in 10 days which is giving me way
enough time to study the new material.

Another big mistake I made too, a friend of mine went to a "boot camp"
about a year ago and told me that the questions he got on the test were
really really close to what he studied during the day.
I thought that by studying the 300 practice questions that came with
MSPress it would be an easy job.


The reason why I'm so disapointed in the score of 600 is mainly because
I actually have about 4 years working experience in IT + a 4 years
degree in Networking and telecomunication. Granted that a lot of the
work I do is on linux and most of our customers are unforunately still
using Windows 2000 servers in a 10 to 20 users environment; I would have
though that I would have made a better score.

Well anyways, I should be more ready next week and will also do some
research on Technet.


Thanks again for your advices

 

Your biggest mistake was in studying questions instead of learning the
material. Practice exams are only valuable to gauge whether you have
mastered the material or need more study. They should used when you
think you are ready for the exam. Memorizing practice test questions,
however, is never a good way to study. You have no way of knowing what
questions you will get on the real exam and knowing ahead of time
constitutes cheating anyway. Hands-on experience is the best teacher.
There is also wealth of material available on the microsoft site for the
intrepid student.

--
Catwalker
aka Pu$$y Feet
BS, MCP, MCSA
MCNGP #43
www.mcngp.com
faq.mcngp.com
"If man could be crossed with the cat, it would improve man, but it would
deteriorate the cat." Mark Twain

 

In microsoft.public.cert.exam.mcse, ap support spewed across the ether:

A copy of what? His document stating he failed?

Why?

 

David, try using VMware. I've found it indispensable for practicing applied
skills. It allows you to build multiple workstations and servers on one PC.
It costs about $150 but it's cheaper than buying enough PCs to simulate real
world experience.

 

send me a copy please?

 

In microsoft.public.cert.exam.mcse, fabry spewed across the ether:

Sure. Anything else we can send you? Keys to a new car? A date with
Angelina Jolie? A brain?

 

Sure. Anything else we can send you? Keys to a new car? A date with

Do I only get to pick one?

 

In microsoft.public.cert.exam.mcse, Jtyc spewed across the ether:

Sorry. The offer was not open to MCNGPs, their families, or anybody
affiliated with that segment of the population with IQs above 32.

 

Sorry. The offer was not open to MCNGPs, their families, or anybody

Damnit... I never get any breaks.

 

That's discrimination! That is not what we are about, and I demand to be
lumped in with the morans and mental defectives!

 

In microsoft.public.cert.exam.mcse, Briscobar spewed across the ether:

Hey! Ghodsdangit. I don't make the rules. You're not a drooling idiot
and that's all there is too it!

@%#$%& ACLU.