MCP 70 - 270 HELP!

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Well i have decided to venture in to the world of IT Certification. Im young so its mostly new to me. I thought i was good with Windows XP till i seen some course material. Im just wondering where to start, some material i do have access to is very brief and talks about Active Directory which is where i get lost. I was ok with the whole installation theory and most of the Automating Installation. But as soon as they started to talk about Images and Active Directory well what can i say! I think i should get some books and do it properly. I plan to spend about 10 hours a week ok this. Any idea how long it roughly takes to complete and pass?

 

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Perhaps you need to make yourself a little more aware of what's actually going to be required of you to pass the exam(s) Jay - a quick Google brings up the MS course objectives HERE.

I don't mean to be unkind, but a familiarisation of the day to day usage of XP is not really going to get you to the pass you're after - you really need to know why and how it integrates into a network, and ultimately how that network functions as well. Read the link above, and see what you think - we'd be more than happy to answer any questions you want to pitch then

 

Completeing this is something i am going to do. I don' think for a moment it will be as easy as i first thought! But i like computing so learning info like this is fun in a sad kind of way to me.

 

Basically what i would like to know is am i picking the right MCP to start with? I want to start with the one that is the easy one. That way it will be sort of an Introduction and i will learn things from that which will help me progress. I suppose i need to get practise in as well.

 

Jay01,

Do you have your CompTIA A+ yet?

 

I don't no i was advised not to bother.

 

Jay01,

I would advise that you should bother to earn the CompTIA A+ because Microsoft will give you partial Elective credit towards the Microsoft Certified Systems Adminstrator (MCSA) certificate on Windows 2000 and Windows Server 2003. To complete the MCSA elective credit after earning the CompTIA A+ is to earn the CompTIA Network+ or CompTIA Server+. The 70-270: Installing, Configuring, and Administering Microsoft Windows XP Professional exam is a requirement for both MCSA on Windows 2000 and MCSA on Windows Server 2003 certificates. See the following links for more information about the MCSA.

I hope this helps.

Links:
1) MCSA on Microsoft Windows 2000 Certification Requirements - http://www.microsoft.com/learning/mcp/mcsa/requirements.asp
2) MCSA on Microsoft Windows Server 2003 Certification Requirements - http://www.microsoft.com/learning/mcp/mcsa/windows2003/

 

I think the first thing you need to do is ask yourself why you want to get the cert.

If you simply want to get the cert because you use Windows XP, and think it will be an easy one . . . forget about it. While the fact that you use Windows XP will undoubtedly be an advantage, the 70-270 goes alot further than just showing you can use Windows XP.

Did you check out the Link posted by jakamoto? To be honest, you really need to.

The 70-270 contains alot to get to grips with, stuff like RIS, and sysprep are actually fairly hard to get to grips with. Plus there's a whole host of stuff to learn, remember, and actually undrestand.

As being advised not to bother with the A+ . . . it is a great Cert to get to give you a good base in Computer Hardware and O.S's Even if you think you know alot about computers and O.S., then the A+ is still a good place to start. It usually has the effect of making the seasoned pro wonder if they know as much as they think they know.

 

Jay01,

More specifically about whether to take the 70-270 without or with the A+, look at what CompTIA wants you to know for the "A+ Operating Systems Technologies" exam and what Microsoft wants you to know for the 70-270: Installing, Configuring, and Administering Windows XP Professional exam. I personally went the A+->MCP path so I found it was a smoother learning curve.

Links:
1) CompTIA A+ Operating Systems Technologies (2003) Examination Objectives - http://www.comptia.org/certification/a/2003_aplus_os_objectives.pdf
2) Microsoft 70-270: Installing, Configuring, and Administering Windows XP Professional Exam - http://www.microsoft.com/learning/exams/70-270.asp

 

Um, what are you currently using? Are you just going through the objectives and saying "yes, I can do that" or "no, I need to work out how to do that"? Definitely get some books!

 

Damnit! You mean I actually have to learn the stuff instead of thinking I can!!

Thats just too much!!!!!!

Lmao.

 

One day they'll invent a book that just by looking at the cover, all the information inside will just transport itself into your brain .

 

Thinking that you can do it motivates you to learn it even though it's hard at first. I would suggest to slow do and gather more info about the subject one is having difficultly instead of giving up and move to other topics. I myself had problems with RIS at first, but I spent several days reading and setting up the labs to get a clear understanding of it. Gather as much materials as possible to learn the darn thing instead of just sticking with that one book you think will explains it all.
As for the A+ I agree with manys here. The A+ is good to have in many jobs; it show that you have hardware experience as well as minimal software too.

 

Well, i have been thinking for some time now about doing something. I recently got a job as an IT Technician, really the job isn't like the name suggests. It is mainly web languages which i am already ok at. So that's an area in which i already understand. But its just not enough for me! I have used XP well since it was out, learning and using lots of functions and i still learn more on it all the time. I think Vista will arrive before i ever get the chance to learn most of its features.

Anyway as i said i have a job as an IT Technician, currently they contract a guy in to Manage their network and server. Personally i like playing with networks as i have a small one at home. So managing a large network would be great fun. So the main aim is to get the Server 03 exam's sorted out and done. However i thought it must be best to start with the 70 - 270. I went to the library today and managed to convince them why they should order some books for me. I did see the titles on here there were 3 all in the same post and were on Amazon. However i can't find that post to tell you what they are. Anyway so they are on the way. TRANSCENDER software as well. And i have some powerpoint based presentations full on info.

Do i have enough?

 

another great source to get is the Mark Manasi-Mastering Windows Server 2003, which I think most people have on their shelf. I don't know how many times I have to return to this book to get a better understanding after reading other Study Guides.

 

I recently passed my 70-270 and am working towards my first server exam.

As far as I can see, there are big crossovers between the XP and server courses and it will help you (it helped me) to go over some of the server stuff as preparation for the XP exam (permissions, AD, etc).

I detect that some folks are a bit down on the CompTIA certs, but let me tell you I'm SO glad I did Network+ before getting into this 70-290 and 70-291 stuff. Having a grasp of the OSI model already is going to help out.

I guess what I'm trying to say is start at the beginning. A+ and Network+ are entry level certs, if you know your way around it won't take too long to get them - and the knowledge WILL come in handy on the Microsoft track, otherwise they wouldn't be accredited as MCSA electives.

 

Hi.
You say you are young - how young?
If you're going to say 16/17, I'd have to suggest that this sort of thing isn't really something that replaces traditional forms of education.

 

Good point! Certs should add to the education system for people of that age. They should be done along side the traditional courses.

 

I am 17, im not that bad with networks as we did basic CICSO in school I was lucky to have done that! My school as a technology college you see. I have most hardware concepts so i expect you are right i shoule do the ComITA A+. I have to admit the way or learning this is different from what i did at school but then again school is a different barrel all together. So do i do 70 - 270 or A+ first of all. Or learn both together.