Question about simulations and MS exams

[kmcferrin]

I've always wondered exactly how the simulations are scored on the MS exams, and I haven't had any yet (only MS exam so far was 70-270). I'm sitting the 70-290 in a couple days and just want to be prepared.

I have been doing the TestOut training material for all of my certs so far and they all have had extensive simulations. It seems like the simulations in the TestOut material score you based on whether what you have done would result in the correct configuration rather than what path you took to get there. This includes the ability to "make mistakes" like going into the wrong part of the administrative tools, seeing that you're not where you want to be, then going into the correct area. Are the actual simulations similarly forgiving, i.e., as long as the final result is correct is the question considered correct?

One other thing, has anyone else used the TestOut materials for 70-290? Like I mentioned, I have used them for the the 70-270 and the CompTIA A+, Net+, Server+, and Security+ tests and found them very helpful. But I am really not liking the 70-290 material. It seems like the presenter doesn't know the material very well, and he frequently mis-speaks and then corrects himself. I have also found a couple of instances where there were questions in the chapter review tests about commands not mentioned in the chapter material. Anyone else have any thoughts?

 

[theravager]

No one knows how they are scored, the only thing that people seem to agree on is that they are worth significant points.

Ages ago it use to be one item wrong in those questions gave you 0 points, general consensus these days is you get part points, but how many is unknown.

Syngress books was always the best training material for those sets of exams, really good converage of exam topics and stuff you should know regardless.

 

[kmcferrin]

It's funny because after I posted this question I did another simulation from the TestOut kit about recovering from a failed drive in a mirror. The last step that they're always telling you to do is to delete the "missing disk" after breaking the mirror and creating a new one. But apparently the sim wasn't capable of tracking whether the mirror was completely broken if you didn't leave the "missing disk" intact. So I broke the mirror, created a new mirror on the new disk, then deleted the "missing disk" and got the sim wrong. So I re-did the sim using the same steps but leaving the "missing disk" in place, and I got full credit for it.

It's things like that that drive me crazy. I mean, I'm pretty confident that I'll pass when I get to the test, but little questions like that nag at the back of my mind.

 

[ntinlin]

I seem to recall getting a question about VSSAdmin command line on the 290 test which hadn't been covered by TestOut.

They also didn't cover subnetting for 291, I got that from MS book. Only had one question on it thank goodness.

Neill

 

[MITPRO]

The first time i took the 70-290, i failed it. I did not know what was in store with the simulations. Mind you, i have the full Testout package. What i did not realize is that, test is useful in helping you answer the sim correctly. After studying for one week; test questions and Tesout, after the failed exam, i went in and took the test with confidence. I scored a 885.

Taking the 70-293 Friday.

Please know ADUC, how to create users, a few policy settings, BAckup and recovery (Backup Types), Disk Management (Raid), and most definetly permissions for the 70-290.

So far testing has been a breeze. I deal with it on a daily basis though. I'm currently an IT Administrator, so i deal with these things sometimes, but the test are far different than, what you really deal with.

The test more based on enterprise administration, but if you know your key information, you can attack the question as you were the actual administrator.

Oh Yeah...DO NOT READ EVERYTHING YOU SEE!!! Only take key information, eliminate, Answer, and move on.

Good Luck

Do not pray to have an easier life, pray to be a stronger man!!!

Comptia A+, N+, Security+, MCSA: 2003 Security Specialist

 

[kmcferrin]

Well, 70-290 went down easy. I got a 942 on it. Next week is 70-291 to finish the MCSA. Simulations were no problem, and in fact I'm beginning to prefer them. With the Q&A types of questions you have to try to wade through all kinds of trickery and figure out why all of the possible answers are things that you'd never do. With the simulation you just do it.

 

[ntinlin]

Actually now I think about it I would agree with you on the sims. You're right that you don't have to wade through as much useless verbiage, and they probably count for more in the scoring anyway.

Did you do 70-270 or 70-620 for the client OS exam?

I did 70-620 with an 861 score on Tuesday to complete my MCSA. Finished in about half an hour. Probably could have improved my score since there were a few I was unsure of and could have spent some time on but I was bored and figured I had done enough to pass it.
Actually got exactly the same question twice as well. I'd certainly agree with the 1* for toughness in another thread.

Neill

 

[porkchopexpress]

Any sims in 70-620? Did you find this exam to be a similar level to the XP exams?

 

[ntinlin]

I don't think there were any sims, even with 56 questions, but my memory has faded on it already.

I can't even remember one question, unbelievable! I don't feel like a paper MCSA for anything else, but I do for that one.
I do remember though that some of the questions were exactly the same as I got on the MeasureUp test from the ExamCram 70-620 book. Sounds strange huh.

I'v only done 70-270 on Transcender and Preplogic where I would usually get 750 or so without looking at a book if memory serves. 70-620 felt a LOT easier, I'd go along with the 1* or 1.5* in the other threads. That would be for a pass though, for a high mark I'd probably say 2* if you follow me.

Neill

 

[porkchopexpress]

Oh ok that sounds promising i had read a post where someone thought it was more difficult than the XP exams. I'll find out on thurday for myself.

Cheers.

 

[kmcferrin]

I did the 70-270 for the client. I figured that if I didn't know XP by this point I probably should be looking at a different line of work. That, and I didn't have any study material for the 70-620, whereas the 70-270 was included with the rest of the TestOut material. I only got a 794 on it, but considering I only spent about an hour preparing for it (TestOut practice exam + a little review on categories where I had issues) I'm satisfied.

 

[revthese]

kmcferrin,
I am wondering if you can give me a little insight since you just took the 70-290 test. I took my MCSE exams years ago for Windows 2000 and know nothing about the exams for 2003. The ONLY reason why I want to take an exam is becuase my company needs another MCP in order to keep our partnership with MS. I have TestKing's simulated questions but it is way too much and if I have to memorize all of that, it's not going to happen. Do you have a recommendation on study material and test questions as to what I can use to prepare for the test and also, how many hours do you think you spent studying for it? I really need some good input.
BTW... I am currently my companys IT Admin and have plenty of hands on experience in a small environment, so no, I'm not just trying to get certified to say I am, I just want to keep our partnership.
Thx for any input you could possibly give.

 

[kmcferrin]

My company provided me with the TestOut MCSE suite. It's usually $1995, but there's another thread in this forum with a discount code that allows you to order it for $495. I think that it's a very good solution, and that $495 gets you the training material and practice tests for all of the tests that you'll need for an MCSE, MCSE:Security, MCSE:Messaging, etc. If your company is really that keen on keeping your Microsoft partnership then you could probably talk them into buying it. If you can spend $495 on training and walk away with a stack of certs, it's a MONSTER bargain, and they could probably use the material for other employees as well.

The only thing that I did for 70-290 was to review all of the TestOut material for that exam and do the practice exams. I doubt that I spent more than 12 hours on it. I scheduled the test for a Friday and started studying on the Sunday before. I studied for about 3 hours every night that week, then Friday morning I took the comprehensive review test from the TestOut suite. I got something like 95% correct, so I did a quick review of the areas where I was lacking and then took the official test.

If you're trying to learn the material then you'll probably need more time than that. But if you already have Windows 2000 certs and several years of work experience I would think you could pass pretty easily. I've had several years of Windows 2003 experience myself, plus I tend to do very well on standardized tests, so I didn't think it was that bad at all.

 

[revthese]

Thank you so much. I already have the discount to buy the TestOut library for that price so I may try that. I actually have TestOut material for the MCSE track but it's about 4 years old, has it changed since then?

 

[ntinlin]

Only differences I saw were that the courses refer to SUS while the exams have gone over to WSUS.

However the questions they asked on the exam applied equally to both really, mainly GPO questions.

Neill

 

[kmcferrin]

Agreed. I'm not sure how old my material is, but it's all for 2003. My TestOut material refers to SUS instead of WSUS, but the WSUS exam questions that I had at the actual testing center would have been applicable to either. I haven't seen a single question on R2 material yet either, nor was it in my review material. I got a 942 on the 70-290 just from studying the TestOut + real life experience.

 

[ntinlin]

Don't think R2 really added enough for them to justify rewriting all the tests for it. WSUS changes were easy since they really just substituted WSUS for SUS in the questions as you noticed. :-D

I found the first design exam I've sat really different though. Sat 70-297 yesterday getting an 863 in 1.5 hours.
Would have been slightly higher but just couldn't remember if universal groups could be nested and also thought they were trying to trick me with a subnetting question which I now don't think they were. :-(

6 case studies with varying numbers of questions and varying times to answer them to each.
Maybe 20% of each case study was relevant to the questions.

Didn't really do any studying for it apart from a Transcender exam (some of the scenarios were eerily close) since all the stuff in it is really contained in the other exams. It was more of a mindset, applying the knowledge thing as MISPRO pointed out in another thread.

Just got to do 70-294 to complete my MCSE now. It crashed on me when I sat it last week and there are no exam spaces available locally to reschedule it until the end of February. :-(

Neill

 

[revthese]

EVERYONE...
Thank you so much for your input. I'm in a situation that really sucks. As I mentioned before, I'm the Admin. for my small business, key words here being "small business" so I dont have the luxury of concentrating my thoughts on all IT related stuff nor do we have the need for some complex infrastructure design so my detailed knowledge in my opinion is very limited. I do Admin, HD, project based work, Security, and all around whatever comes up "go do it" which I hate. I'm too busy putting out fires and can't find the time to concentrate. I have the TestKing practice exam for 70-290 and found that is has 840 practice questions.......NOT HAPPENING! I was shocked to say the least. So I've decided its just too much for me, since when I get home at sometimes 7:00pm to a wife and two year old I can't concentrate. I appreciate everyone's input. I was just hoping to put like 20 hours or so into each course and make it but just seeing all those possibilities and knowing my knowledge limits, I see I could never pass.
I'll be back to the board and wish all the guys/gals congrats on their passing and maybe some day I can find the time.

 

[kmcferrin]

I wouldn't bother with TestKing at all. The people who get those usually are just trying to memorize Q&A's so they don't have to learn the material. The 800+ questions are supposed to be the total pool of questions available on the test.

On a slightly related note, most of the TestOut material I've done has 400 questions or so. I have definitely noticed that after the second time through all of the questions I can remember which answer is correct without even reading all of the question, so I can see someone doing 800+ questions in a few passes.

________________________________________
CompTIA A+, Network+, Server+, Security+
MCP, MCSA 2003

 

[thetruthisoutthere]

One of the good things about the Transcender tests is that you can change the order of the possible answers so you don't see the same thing each time you look at a specific question. That certainly helps you concentrate on working out the right answer rather than remembering its position in the list.