Where to sit MCP exams?

CountyHurler

I am currently studying for the 70-410 exam.. I am in Kildare so there is no convenient option.. Nearest is Ballyfermot (which doesnt seem to have much parking available), or New Horizons in town... But I heard an ad for "The Exam Centre" on the radio the other day.. This is not listed on the Prometric site as being an option... I'm just wondering is there another (non-Prometric) centre, maybe in Naas , where I could sit the exams instead?

zweton

what book are you using for the 70-410?

CountyHurler

zweton wrote: »

what book are you using for the 70-410?

This one. Be careful though, some of the answers at the end of the chapters are wrong.



Exam Ref (70-410): Installing And Configuring Windows Server 2012

zweton

ah ok, i was going to go with either that or the sybex book but the sybex book looks like it lumps all 3 into 1 book. i think i would like to focus on individual exams.

Krusader

zweton wrote: »

ah ok, i was going to go with either that or the sybex book but the sybex book looks like it lumps all 3 into 1 book. i think i would like to focus on individual exams.

I have the sybex book and this is the major flaw with it

Cuddlesworth

zweton wrote: »

ah ok, i was going to go with either that or the sybex book but the sybex book looks like it lumps all 3 into 1 book. i think i would like to focus on individual exams.

If its anything like the exams I did four years ago, some of the questions could be intertwined with a expectation that you have completed the coursework for all three.

CountyHurler

I didnt want to side track my own thread earlier by turning the thread to a "What study material" debate, but since it looks like nobody is gonna respond to my question.... Here is what I have read / used / watched to prepare for the 70-410 exam..

Exam Ref (70-410): Installing And Configuring Windows Server 2012
This is a very good book, but i) it is NOT enough to get you through the exam.. you will need to do test exams to find out what types of questions are asked and ii) as I mentioned above, some of the answers to the questions are wrong.. The book got fairly bad criticism on Amazon for this reason.

Train Signal 70-410 Videos
These really weren't very good or indepth. I find Ed Liebermann very frustrating. Yakking on about everything but the stuff you want to know..

CBT Nuggets 70-410 Videos
These are far better. They seem to have the material attuned to the questions that are asked on the exam. Useful for both the exam and for actual proper learning about Windows 2012.

VisualCert Exam Manager
This is the software for doing the test exams yourself.. Costs about 20 euro but this is absolutely essential. On examcollection.com there are actual exams that guys have sat, and discussion about what questions are still valid / exam changes / all sorts of useful material.

I have four MCPs from 2001, and the exams are kind of similar. It is important to remember, there are recurring questions on the 70-410 that you can be sure WILL be on your exam, and you will not find the answers in any books. Only by going through the sample exams will you become familiar with the types of questions asked and how to answer them.

That's my two cents.

Cuddlesworth

CountyHurler wrote: »

Exam Ref (70-410): Installing And Configuring Windows Server 2012
This is a very good book, but i) it is NOT enough to get you through the exam.. you will need to do test exams to find out what types of questions are asked and ii) as I mentioned above, some of the answers to the questions are wrong.. The book got fairly bad criticism on Amazon for this reason.

In fairness, I was on a site one day where they were discussing Microsoft exam questions. You could make a career out of trying to decipher the correct Microsoft answer on some of them.

CountyHurler

There is a sort of deliberate ambiguity with some of the questions, but to be fair they are not half as bad as they used to be.. The exams are fairer now I think.

A couple of things I forgot to add.

1. If you book the exam through Prometric, be careful.. I made a mistake on the booking, and even though I cancelled it well in advance the b*stards still charged me 25 quid... Absolutely ridiculous, I think they deliberately make the website confusing so they can pocket from people's genuine mistakes.

2. For learning how to do the stuff, get a copy of HyperV Free.. either the version that loads with Windows 8 (if you're lucky enough to have it) or the HyperV Free that can be downloaded from Microsoft's website. This allows you to set up a full virtual domain for setting up and familiarising yourself with IP4 / IP6 / Group Policy / Active Directory etc etc.

Krusader

CountyHurler wrote: »

There is a sort of deliberate ambiguity with some of the questions, but to be fair they are not half as bad as they used to be.. The exams are fairer now I think.

A couple of things I forgot to add.

1. If you book the exam through Prometric, be careful.. I made a mistake on the booking, and even though I cancelled it well in advance the b*stards still charged me 25 quid... Absolutely ridiculous, I think they deliberately make the website confusing so they can pocket from people's genuine mistakes.

2. For learning how to do the stuff, get a copy of HyperV Free.. either the version that loads with Windows 8 (if you're lucky enough to have it) or the HyperV Free that can be downloaded from Microsoft's website. This allows you to set up a full virtual domain for setting up and familiarising yourself with IP4 / IP6 / Group Policy / Active Directory etc etc.

You can get the full evaluation ISO here

CountyHurler

Hi Krusader, that's the R2 version of Windows Server 2012. I've read that they are meant to be changing the 70-410 exam in January to incorporate the R2 version, but havent had any confirmation of this. I'm trying to sit the exam before then.

I have virtual machines of Windows 2008 R2 (90 day trial), Windows 2012 Server (90 day trial), and Windows 8.1 (90 day trial) running on my copy of Hyper-V, so it's possible to have everything legal even when you are training.

Lundar.

hi countyhurler,

i did the 70-410 on thur 12th dec, got 840/1000 in it, we use the sysbex: MCSA windows server 2012

I found it to have quite a few mistakes and stuff lefted of it. I used measureup exam tests to find where i was weak and study what i was weak at.

You really need to know the subject inside and out. do not know memorize the answers as i have seen 3 in my class fail because of that.They are focusing a lot of hyper-v and powershell this year.

They are changing the exam to include R2 in january according to my trainer.We have been handed a new course syllabus.

Remember you can always use the rearm feature in windows to rearm a license up to 5 times which is legal when i don't have internet access on a couple of my virtual machines that i use for study purposes. windows server 2012 is 180 days.

Always remember there are three answers to all microsoft exam questions: The wrong answer, The Right answer and the Microsoft Answer

L1011

Admitting you used Examcollection isn't a good idea - the content there is 95%+ braindumps which are explicitly prohibited.

Lundar.

point taken and thanks MYOB , getting enough legal practice questions will always be a challenge.

CountyHurler

I waited for the R2 updates in the exam.. Did it last week and passed with 887. I sat the exam in The Exam Centre and I would highly recommend to anybody.. They are very flexible, and dont mind about you being early or late.. they also have sittings on the weekends.

Had originally booked the exam with New Horizons. I booked online through Prometric, then discovered I'd clicked the 70-411 by mistake. I rang New Horizons to ask them to change it, and the guy said "Oh, you booked that through Prometric, so you will have to deal with them.. If you go online, cancel the booking you have and create a new one, that should do it"... So I cancelled the first booking and they charged me 25 quid even though I had cancelled two days in advance... So I gave them the 25 quid and took my business elsewhere..

dakid

CountyHurler wrote: »

I waited for the R2 updates in the exam.. Did it last week and passed with 887. I sat the exam in The Exam Centre and I would highly recommend to anybody.. They are very flexible, and dont mind about you being early or late.. they also have sittings on the weekends.

Had originally booked the exam with New Horizons. I booked online through Prometric, then discovered I'd clicked the 70-411 by mistake. I rang New Horizons to ask them to change it, and the guy said "Oh, you booked that through Prometric, so you will have to deal with them.. If you go online, cancel the booking you have and create a new one, that should do it"... So I cancelled the first booking and they charged me 25 quid even though I had cancelled two days in advance... So I gave them the 25 quid and took my business elsewhere..

Hi Mate, thinking of doing this exam myself. Can you provide any tips, sites or books to use? Anything would help. Thanks.

krankykitty

dakid wrote: »

Hi Mate, thinking of doing this exam myself. Can you provide any tips, sites or books to use? Anything would help. Thanks.

I think one of the very best resources for these exams (and free!) is Technet. Search for the detailed exam objectives and then read up on each one there.