Hi everyone, I have a question !

Oh man! Ad-blocking software has been detected! :'(

This website is run by the community, for the community... and it needs advertisements in order to keep running. Blocking our ads means your killing our stats!
Please disable your ad-block, or become a premium member to hide all advertisements and this notice.

Hi there,

Just registered on this site. I am someone who fortunately has a few years experience in IT already, but unfortunately only currently possesses the A+.
I am currently working on my MCP (in my own time).
Unfortunately, I cannot remember where I read it, but I remember reading an article on the Internet some time ago, regarding the knowledge level that one should possess in order to pass the MCP exam (or I guess any IT cert exam really).
Now, I must stress that I am a VERY HANDS ON person who does NOT like reading books. I am also VERY keen on knowing the behind the scenes stuff with regards to how computers work AND I am also very curious (this might give you an indication of where I am going here???)
Some time ago, I did attempt a mock xp exam just to see how I would fare (didn't even get close).
My understanding of MCP level knowledge is that you should know AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE about EXACTLY how Windows works, the startup files, the processes, the DLL files, etc, but HOW do you obtain this knowledge?
As I've previously stated, I am very hands on, and would rather use other methods of investigation than read a book, and of course the books don't tell you everything. I guess most people these days just use the internet to search for answers??
Is anyone willing to share what they did to learn, for example, xp inside out???

Sorry for the long windedness !!

Thanks.

 

Oh man! Ad-blocking software has been detected! :'(

This website is run by the community, for the community... and it needs advertisements in order to keep running. Blocking our ads means your killing our stats!
Please disable your ad-block, or become a premium member to hide all advertisements and this notice.

I dislike the MS exams due to the amount of information you have to know, not know how to find. I did the XP MCP years ago and scraped it 770 or something. I hated the fact that it seemed to make you learn lists and options such as most of the local policy settings you can configure. You do need to know Windows XP inside out and back to front, same with other exams as far as I know.

I don't know if it's changed much over the years but from what I've picked up here it hasn't.

The only advice I can give really is keep going, don't give up, use it and learn it as much as possible. Use it every day mess about with settings learn what local policy settings are computer and what are user related and where you can find them. Use the command line where possible learn the common commands and the options, particularly toubleshooting commands. Do new installations, use an answer file, try slip streaming basically learn everything you can as you say. I had the fortune to have a instructor led course on it and that helped but I learn best by doing so do it, keep doing it and you find your score improve on mocks.

 

Could well have been the MIcrosoft/learning website.
That's pretty comprehensive in terms of the requirements for exams/certification.

I would definitely advocate being hands-on in terms of preparation for an exam, but you are going to have to do some book time irrespective of how experienced you are. Remember, MS exams are often less about knowing if you can do something or not, and more about knowing if you know how MS think you should do it.

You'll need to get a book that covers the exam curriculum. If you know what you're doing you may be able to get away with a thin one. Transcender did a very good study guide that just covered key principles without being too laborious.