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I Failed the Cert. Test!

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by nimbus

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I've had the CompTIA A+ for some time, but I failed both the Server+ and XP Professional MCP.
My feeling is to get some (more) work experience, as my experience revolves around A+ architecture/Windows OS and XP Pro - but the help desk side...not the systems admin side(I'm eventually wanting an MCSA w/Server 2003). Looking for some good advice everyone.

p.s. I also do XHTML 1.0/CSS 2

2 replies

by gothicscott

Nimbus,

If MS certs are truly what you want, and you understand that they have short shelf life and you'll be on an expesive,perpetual certification treadmill then do the following:

Set up a lab / computers at home with the Xp on them to get hands on experience.

I recommend Sybex and Exam Cram series of texts to help you prepare for the exams. Do not rely solely on Microsoft Press Certification books. By their own admission, they're not all inclusive to prepare a person to pass the exam.

Also, practice exams will help. Try transcender, they used to be the best.

Good Luck,

_Scott

by nathanmay

I agree with Scott, and if you want to pass these tests, you have to know what Microsoft thinks the answer is, not what your experience says it is. I'd buy the study guide Scott mentioned, or consider the Mike Meyers series (that is the one I use), Amazon has great prices, and get the $22.00 (or so) test prep books, not the $45 reference books.

One last thing, if you go to the microsoft site under certification, they will list out what they will test on.

Oh yeah, if you want the MCSA, A+ Net+ also counts as the elective, and Net+ is a straightforward test, not like A+, server+, etc.

good luck

Setting up a lab is a great idea, and you could also check out the Microsoft resource kits, they love to test info fromm the resource kits.

Nate, MCT

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