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    Hello everyone,

    I'm interested on any advise that someone could make available to me in regards to developing a strategy on tackling the 70-646 exam. Currently I have passed the 70-640 and the 70-642. However, after a high amount of study I sat a practice exam from SelfTestSoftware.com and only got 59%

    I'm unsure if I should be disappointed or be saying to myself "Well hey! its a start right?" as I was planning to sit the exam sooner rather than later, however, I don't want to have to go through the disappointment of failing, and mentally straining myself for 3 and half hours to go in vein realistically I would like to pass the actual certification exam first time (Who wouldn't.. right?)

    So basically I have done the following in regards to preparation:

    1. Watched and taken notes on every CBTNugget video on the 70-646 series

    2. Read the Microsoft Press Book and taken notes

    3. Currently sitting the Microsoft Official Course (6433A - Planning and Implementing Windows Server 2008)

    For week areas in my knowledge and stuff that has an exam warning next to it in my MS Press book, I have been writing palm cards to ensure I don't forget these important factors for the exam itself.

    So basically I'm planning at starting fresh from the drawing board on this one. Clean slate, and resit the practice exam again after some more in depth study.

    Which does beg the question from me: What strategy should I take?

    a) Re-read the MSPress book. This has worked for me quite well in the past however I have noticed that there are some things missing in the MSPress book (Group Policy Preferences for example)

    b) Read the Microsoft Curriculum book I got from my course. I'm unsure about this approach however, reason why I say that is because I have found it to be good in some area's that the MSPress lacks, but lacking in some area's that the MSPress is good with.

    c) Maybe a hybrid of both..?

    I'm also trying to hopefully pass this exam before the 31st of July 2013 so I am still qualified to receive an MCITP cert rather than just the MCSA cert. From what I understand the MCITP: Server Administrator is being retired on the 31st of July. Otherwise, I will have to cop it and go with the MCSA, and upgrade to 2012 and chase the MCSE.

    Any advise will be highly appreciated, I've put a lot of effort into this so far, so any help or pointers in the right direction of how to get there will be fantastic.

    Cheers!

    Matt.

    Matthew Jones

    • Changed type Matthew Jones, MCTS Thursday, April 18, 2013 6:48 AM It's really a discussion over a question.
    Wednesday, April 17, 2013 2:45 PM

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    Hi Matthew,

    You can still use 2nd shot until May 31, with this if you fail it 1st time you take the exam you get 2nd try for free.

    http://www.microsoft.com/learning/en/us/second-shot.aspx#fbid=nTemxTEp9eN

    I do not know if the SelfTestSoftware.com test is a good indication. You did a lot of studying so you might give it a try on the real exam with 2nd shot. (request the voucher before you book the exam!)

    When you see answers and helpful posts, please click Vote As Helpful, Propose As Answer, and/or Mark As Answer

    MCSE:Server Infrastructure, MCSE:Desktop Infrastructure, MCSA Server 2012, Citrix CCIA & CCEE, Cisco CCNA, VMware VCP 3/4/5 Blog: http://www.citrix-guru.com and http://www.rds-support.eu Twitter: @dnyvandam


    Wednesday, April 17, 2013 4:49 PM
    Answerer
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    Tricky part is the test is based on R2 and none of the study material (except for CBT Nuggets) is updated for R2.  I ran across this when i took 70-648 and all questions were R2 based with no study material on it.  Best advice would be to see what changed with R2 and learn those topics in and out.  

    Be kind and Mark as Answer if I helped.

    Wednesday, April 17, 2013 5:07 PM
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    Hi Danny,

    Thank you for your response

    I have used the selftestsoftware.com in the past with the 70-640. When I got my scores up to 80% I sat the real exam and got 792/1000 from what I could tell in the past, it was pretty dead on. The approach that I am taking is using a test exam that is very simular to the real exam, without seeing the practice questions a second time (If I see them more then once, I will know the answer and it won't really test my knowledge properly)

    I want to avoid sitting multiple attempts on the exam however.

    What I want to try and do is work out what is the best approach going forward (Recooporating my knowledge and learning some areas that might have been missed in the MSPress book)

    By the looks of your signature, you seem to have a lot of experience sitting these certification exams. Would you be able to tell me whats better in terms of content out of the books, the MSPress book, or the 6433A book from the Microsoft Course?

    Thank you again for your response,

    Matt.

    Matthew Jones

    Thursday, April 18, 2013 2:15 AM
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    Hi Chris,

    Thank you for your response.

    Yes, I have noticed this being an issue in the past, however most exam resources are updated these days, both the MSPress, and 6433A are updated.

    CBT Nuggets have appended 5 video's or so to there 646 series and called them "Whats new in R2?" with James Conrad and anouther Microsoft Certified intructor (I forget the name)

    R2 questions are not really something that I'm too worried about as I should be mostly prepped for them

    Thanks again for your response,

    Matt.

    Matthew Jones

    Thursday, April 18, 2013 2:18 AM