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Home > Archive > 70-217 > November 2002 > Pre-Test Advice
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| New to this list. Greetings to the list.
I'm looking to re-take exam 70-217 sometime next week and would like a little advice on something. Has anyone used any of the services that offer questions that can help with the test? I've seen places like Pass-Guaranteed & CramBible or EasyCram and I'm wondering which one is or has proven to work or come close to offering questions that are similar to the ones on the acrual exam? Not that I'm looking to cheat because I have the transcender and can pass each of the tests in it with no problems. I'm also pretty proficient with AD from a hands on and theoretical perspective as I have a complete w2k AD network at home. I've also passed exams 70-210 & 215. Yet when I take this exam, I get something totally different from what I'm expecting. These questions are jaking me up so I'm at a point where I feel a need to seek assistance or some different questions. Ones that may prove to be harder than the ones I'm encountering in transcender and that have the answers and explanations.
Can anyone recommend a good simulation exam that will aid in passing this exam? I've got a ton of books on this exam, countless links to articles, and now a dozen links to sites that offer practice questions and exams. Too many to pick one from.
Thanks in advance. | |
| jeff_j_black 2002-10-24, 11:32 pm |
| I can't speak on any of the titles that you mention, as I have not used them. You might just want to check questions on certification websites. Go to Certcities and find the 'guilt-free guide to free and cheap practice questions'. You could spend days just following all of the links there to many decent online test engines and downloadable samples.
It really sounds like you are ready though. Are you testing at the right time of day for you? Are you ready physically, mentally and emotionally? You really have to be ready to sit and patiently and carefully read through each question and eliminate the b.s. answers and find the most correct answers. There are many questions in 217 that seem to come from left field, but if you just take a breath and work it out based on what you know and what makes sense, you can do it.
Getting more different questions will help, just don't get stung by getting sold 'dumps'. There are many posts on this board, where people complain about getting the same set of dumps from several different vendors for $30 a piece. The guilt-free guide links seem to be pretty legit and they are free. | |
| dhenricks 2002-10-25, 10:30 am |
| Hi all,
I have been following these threads for quite some time and I just felt like putting my two cents in on this one.
One thing that really helped me feel more prepared for this test was by reviewing the
skills being measured site. If you go thru the list of things that are being tested on and feel confident with your understanding of each and every item you should do well.
I also liked the Transcenders for this exam but make sure that you understand all of the explanations. | |
| rchristo 2002-10-25, 11:10 am |
| On Thursday the 24th I passed the 70-217
test and it was a bear to deal with! 63
questions in 2.5 hours. I thought I had plently of time, but only finished with
10 minutes to spare.
In response to your question the best site I can recommend would be brain dump central. Of the 63 questions I would guess
I saw a least 10 of them first on that site.
I did not simply memorize the answers.
I viewed the site as another testing tool.
I looked at the questions and tried to
understand the situation and the reasons for the answer. At the end people can vote
for what they believe to be the correct answer.
In the middle of the test I was convinced
I was going to fail and would have to retake it. It was such a relief to pass! | |
| marvc 2002-10-25, 12:34 pm |
| Congrats on passing the test. I ran into the same problem except it took me every minute to finish and I still failed it. I find that I spend too much time worrying about the questions that I may have answered wrong, so I go back and try to correct it before moving forward. I know, cardinal sin, always stick with your initial answer. Tis what happens when you allow the test to overwhelm you. Happy to hear you passed and can now move on to the next level.
I can say that I've been pretty successful without using the dumps because they do seem to give wrong answers or questions that don't fit the actual exam makeup, but now I'm open to anything. I've been cruising certcities and a host of other good sites and have come across alot of good info. I've also changed the way I study Transcender. I now choose the custom exam and test each section individually before taking the whole exam. Seems to give a different look to the questions and their answers.
I will say that I think this test is over bearing. It left me exhausted, frustrated, and dreading to go back and study over again because I don't know how bad I did. But I'm glad I found this site because it's a relief to read the stories of success and failure in the threads regarding this beast. Now I feel a little better about trying it again.
Thanks | |
| jeff_j_black 2002-10-25, 1:38 pm |
| Sitting the actual exam is an excersize in managing stress. You can't let a tough question or two, throw you for the whole exam. Just take 'em one at a time. I was tired going into this one and felt that it was almost as hard as 216, but I got through it.
Exam day preperation is critical. Rest, eat, don't over-study the day before, pick the best time and location for your personal style. To me, after studying and lab work, the two weeks prior to the actual exam are very important. Practice tests with increasing intensity up to the two days before your actual exam. The week before my CCNA exam I was answering 500+ questions in a two hour session. It's more like preparing for a marathon at this point.
The day before just do your normal routine, family, tv, work etc. Try to enjoy life. Rest, then take the exam. Good luck to those of you out there working on this. | |
| marvc 2002-10-29, 12:32 pm |
| Finally passed 70-217 last night and I want to thank this list for the feedback and advice on taking and passing this exam. The links mentioned proved to contain alot of the information that I was missing. I also took the time and purchased real-exam, downloaded a braindump, formatted it to my liking and studied each question word for word and compared the answers to the questions word for word. This proved to be very time consuming, but it worked. I know I saw more than 20 questions in the exam from both the braindump and the real-exam pdf. I unfortunately don't have anything to add to the dump, but I will say that they are a good source after you've exhausted the reading stage.
Good luck to all.
On to exam 70-216... | |
| dwatts 2002-10-29, 2:44 pm |
| Oh God, another braindumping loser. I cared about your progress on this exam until some dumb XXX suggested you access and braindump site - and then you go ahead and use one. Now your MCSE ain't worth squat in my eyes......
Harsh? Sure.. ban me... whatever... who wants to hang around with cheats?
If you didn't earn it - it ain't yours. | |
|
| Don't go there. Sorry dude but last night was my 5th time taking that crappy test and the first time I even considered a braindump. Personally I hate taking tests with a passion, especially Microsoft tests, but whatcha gonna do.
I only considered using this as a tune up and resource because I was maxing out the transcender, so I needed more questions to study. I've got everything you could ask for in regards to studying for this exam and it wasn't working. This includes books on AD alone, my own w2k network w/ad, which I've installed and re-installed plenty of times, a couple of servers, w2k prof & xp boxes, policies out the wazoo, my own w2k web and exchange servers each of which I host and that run dns, and I could go on. Put me in front of a network or lab and I'll go to work, but that's not good enuff to get a job in this field for some of us.
I go and take this exam and everything gets out of wack. Transcender, which I have, as far as I'm concerned doesn't work for this exam like it does 70-210 & 70-215. So I'm a firm believer that you need everything you can get your hands on. No one has $125.00 to keep wasting on these tests for the sake of being honest. Honesty is atleast letting me know my score or how I did on the test afterwards. That atleast tells me you're concerned about my passing or failing. You take that away and it seems you're only concerned with pass/fail stats. It sucks failing a test and only having "You've Failed" to go on.
I honestly don't care for either the braindumps or cheatsheets or what people think about them, but being unemployed for the last 6 months and seeing that 70-215 & 70-210 isn't worth crap and isn't impressing any of the recruiters, I need as much leverage as I can to complete my MCSA and hopefully get some attention; you can only stretch an unemployment check so far. So don't be so quick to judge those that consider this option. I honestly feel that I know the in's and outs of Active Directory and can impress that upon any employer, so I don't feel like a cheat.
There are some that are savvy enuff to not have to stoop to this level and there are those that just suck at taking tests, especially microsoft tests!!!!!
Hopefully passing this test will put me in a position to obtain a job which would give me some time to get some new books and get back on my feet before taking 70-216 because I know that's a killa test.
Oh and as far as being considered a "loser", no comment. Answering this would only piss me off, so I'll pass. You're "entitled" to your opinion. | |
|
| quote:
Originally posted by jeff_j_black
. The week before my CCNA exam I was answering 500+ questions in a two hour session. It's more like preparing for a marathon at this point.
jeff black is my hero! | |
| dwatts 2002-10-30, 4:26 am |
| Failing is a difficult thing to face. But we have to learn to accept failure at some level. If you have passed other tests (which apparently, you have) then there is simply no way you would not have been able to pass the 70-217 exam. It is no different than the other tests in form or structure, and it simply tests on the objectives, just like all the others.
Now – one of the definitions of insanity is someone who keeps doing the same thing and expecting a different result. In this case, if you took the test four times, and kept failing, than I question your study technique for the exam. I have heard from countless people who passed this exam by only reading my Exam Cram title for it. Hence, I know the information is out there – it’s just a matter of your getting it into your head – and performing on the day.
It is not a matter of my only caring about a pass/fail ratio. The issue is this – I have no way to judge your abilities, since we are strangers on this board. All I have to go on are what you write. You wrote that you cheated on a test. If you cheat to get your MCSE – then in my eyes you don’t have an MCSE, you’re a fake, a sham. Claims that you could sit in a lab and do well are something that is complete conjecture. However, the fact that you did not have the necessary knowledge to pass this test is irrefutable – and the fact that you therefore chose to cheat in order to get it out of the way is also evident. You lost sight of the simple truth – these tests are there as a validation of your knowledge. You did not pass – you did not have the necessary knowledge. So, you decided to bypass the requirement to gain the knowledge, and cheated. Which means you cheat yourself and, in my eyes, lose respect.
--I honestly don't care for either the braindumps or cheatsheets or what people think about them, but being unemployed for the last 6 months and seeing that 70-215 & 70-210 isn't worth crap and isn't impressing any of the recruiters, I need as much leverage as I can to complete my MCSA and hopefully get some attention.—
I have no idea why you can’t find a job – times are tough. However, maybe – just maybe – there is an impression of a lack of knowledge. This is proven by your inability to pass the AD test. You gain no leverage by cheating, you get a good lie, which will be exposed quite easily with a minimal interview. Then what would you have gained? Nothing. Better to learn the material – pass the test honestly, and have those details in your head when you need them.
--So don't be so quick to judge those that consider this option. I honestly feel that I know the in's and outs of Active Directory and can impress that upon any employer, so I don't feel like a cheat.—
I’ll be very quick to judge someone who claims to have passed a test – when they did no such thing. You accused me of only caring about the pass-fail issue. In fact – it is YOU that is guilty of this. You only cared about the green bar, you did not care about your own abilities. You got caught up in your inability to pass a test, rather than getting back to the root cause of the problem – you didn’t have sufficient knowledge. Claiming that you actually know these things is not borne out by the facts. You might “feel” you know your way around AD – but I seriously doubt it. Speaking as someone who passed this test (and yes, wrote two books for it) I can assure you, your feelings mean nothing – what matters is an independent verification of your knowledge, ie, your performance on the test. Since you chose to cheat that aspect, why would anyone believe you actually know the material? You don’t!
--There are some that are savvy enuff to not have to stoop to this level and there are those that just suck at taking tests, especially microsoft tests!!!!!—
This is utter and complete BS. I have heard the “not good at taking tests” argument so many times, and it never holds water. Firstly, you have passed tests – so the evidence is, you can do them (assuming you earned them and did not cheat). The second thing is – if you think the pressure of a test is too much, you should try going to a client site and troubleshooting a problem with them looking over your shoulder, or sitting in front of a mail server that is down with every second costing thousands of dollars. Now that is pressure. Get used to it. Mastering this ability is every bit as important as any test or certification, actually, it is more important.
--Hopefully passing this test will put me in a position to obtain a job which would give me some time to get some new books and get back on my feet before taking 70-216 because I know that's a killa test.—
Your error is two fold. First, you cheated. Second, you defend the practice. Therefore, I have no problem saying I hope you do not get a job on the basis of cheating.
By the way – I both interviewed and hired someone from this board. I am in the practice of doing so – even when they might not be as good as they think they are (for example, if you interview with me and say you know about RIS, don’t be at all surprised if I give you a marker and tell you to architect a solution for an enterprise on a whiteboard, and then explain how the technology actually works under the covers). If I believe in them, I’ll give them a chance, and try to help them. You are, apparently, a lost cause. I have no problem saying so. I have no intention of dancing around the facts here, and telling it like it is.
I have a simple policy. Since I believe in certification – if I caught one of m employees cheating like this – I’d reprimand them. Get used to it.
ps: I will add – as someone who takes time out of their day to try and help people understand this technology, it’s a real downer to see cheats might be using this knowledge to gain credibility, when they’ve earned nothing themselves. | |
|
| As sad as it is for me to say, I was actually waiting for you to reply to this thread, and I'm glad you did as you did.
I'll admit that I have to agree with some of what was written in your reply. Like I said, you're entitled.
I first of all don't doubt my abilities or knowledge level in AD or any other area that I'm skilled in, and for what it's worth this was my first time using a braindump and cheat sheet. But that's besides the point, my inability to get a job may be due to a lack of knowledge in some areas, but I think that's the way it's supposed to be. You should posses enough to show that you're CAPABLE of performing your job on a daily basis, on your own, without intervention, and evolving at the same time while learning and I can do that. I don't care what you feel about certifications, they don't prepare you for everything. There is still learning and growing after you become certified. Now I don't know what planet you're from, but I know plenty of MCSE's that still refer back to their books or peers when faced with certain problems, and I know plenty more that will admit they don't know everything, even though they're certified in the subject. For anyone to assume that any one person will know everything about everything is ridiculous, I don't care how many books you've written. Now maybe that doesn't happen to you, because you seem to know it all but for others its just common sense.
The fact that it is hard for some people to get in the door to prove their knowledge in certain areas is just that, its a fact. Its not as easy for some as it is others in todays economy to get work, if it was everyone would be working. You can sit on your high horse and deny that all you want but its the truth. So what do you do, you continue to work on and improve your skills until you're given a chance to show that you're ready. It would be different if I was some bonehead sitting around and using the dumps to gain a cert and lie my way into the door, which I've seen done plenty of times. Not to mention the countless times being looked over for that same bonehead because he/she has a fake MCSE/MCSA cert. I refuse to lie to get a job and I refuse to be denied. I'm at my network daily studying and working to learn this the right way. I was having a hard time getting past my "problem areas" and I took an alternate way out. Will I do it again, NOPE!!! I consider it a lesson learned. Yes I've passed other exams without the braindump and cheat sheet so yes I'm capable of passing without them. I allowed my constant failings to get the best of me. Do that make a bad person, NOPE!! Does that make me a dumb-XXX, NOPE!!!
You have the luxuary of sitting up and judging because it's obvious you're skilled and certain areas that others are not. Do I have time to sit around and worry about what you have to say? To a degree, because I pride myself in being able to learn from my mistakes and others on all levels. Will I allow your negative energy to steal my joy from passing this cert, NOPE!! To each his/her own. Do I pray that our paths never cross, YEP, because I'd probably tell you to f*ck off!!! In a jokingly way that is.:->, even if its at the expense of a job. Guys like you are simple and usually assholes anyway so why bother.
I'm simply trying to learn this like everyone else. I have a lot of learning and growing to do in this field so I'm simply trying to put myself in a position to show that I know a little about what I'm doing, everything else you learn as you go. I think that's where experience comes from. Tis why you hope to work with decent open-minded people, not individuals, that understand the learning process and who you can learn from. The cert is good to have, but it's nothing without the ability to learn and remain humble. This may not apply to you, so disregard.
I honestly don't care what you think in regards to this. I think people simply have to do what they have to do, especially in pressure situations. Most of us have been in situations where we've had someone looking over our shoulders, what's your point? That comes with the territory. I think it's all about being resourceful. Do you have a basic and intermediate level of understanding of the task at hand. Can you utilize the tools and resources you available to get the job done. Can you consult with other team members to get the job done. YEP! That's what I've learned from being in this field. It's not always about the cert, it's about the other things. I just allowed this particular cert to get the best of me. I just felt like I had to pass this cert. It was haunting me day in and day out...I felt drained and weary, unable to elevate my level of understanding to a degree that would warrant a Pass, so I resorted to trickery and deciet...woe is me...woe is me...:-)
I digress. | |
| dwatts 2002-10-31, 3:50 am |
| Well, I usually reply to things that are important to me, or that „take my fancy“. It’s that simple.
Your last post is all over the place. You are now confusing lots of different issues, throwing up smoke and fog, and using that to somehow say it was okay to cheat on the 70-217 test. In fact, the first half of the message has nothing to do with the topic at hand – cheating. Do I ever research answers to issues? Of course I do. But what does that have to do with earning a certification? Nothing. I do not know it all - nor have I said I do. I think it is perfectly okay to say, “I don’t know the answer to that”. What is not okay is to cheat on an exam. If it matters, I too have failed tests.
--The fact that it is hard for some people to get in the door to prove their knowledge in certain areas is just that, its a fact. Its not as easy for some as it is others in todays economy to get work, if it was everyone would be working. You can sit on your high horse and deny that all you want but its the truth.—
What? I have not suggested anything different from yourself. Actually, if you had been paying attention, you would have noted that I have actually gone out of my way to give someone a chance in a real-world job! Interestingly enough, that person is a member of this board, and seems to post quite often. So to say I don’t understand these things is pretty silly. I do – and better – I actually do something about it.
--It would be different if I was some bonehead sitting around and using the dumps to gain a cert and lie my way into the door, which I've seen done plenty of times—
Erm, this is what you did… isn’t it. You might indeed change your ways – and if you do, good luck. But you cannot avoid the fact that you lacked the knowledge to pass a test, and therefore cheated. This renders your 70-217 null and void in my books, since it tested nothing. And since that is part of your MCSE, you will not have earned the cert. And anyone interviewing you on the basis of your having an MCSE, is indeed being lied too – since the assumption of an MCSE candidate is that they have the knowledge and it has been verified by the tests – not that they have simply passed tests.
--I consider it a lesson learned. Yes I've passed other exams without the braindump and cheat sheet so yes I'm capable of passing without them. I allowed my constant failings to get the best of me. Do that make a bad person, NOPE!! Does that make me a dumb-XXX, NOPE!!!—
Now you’re getting to it! And my blasting you DID have an effect. And yes THAT IS THE POINT. I’m not a dictator – I’m pushing you (forcibly) in the right direction. You see, cheating only cheats YOU. However, in the regard to the 70-217 test, you now fit into the “bad guy” category. There is a price for cheating, and if you were honest, you’re feeling it now. You know what you did was a weakness, that you should not have done it. So how good does it really feel to be “done” with 70-217? Not very, probably.
--You have the luxuary of sitting up and judging because it's obvious you're skilled and certain areas that others are not. Do I have time to sit around and worry about what you have to say? To a degree, because I pride myself in being able to learn from my mistakes and others on all levels. Will I allow your negative energy to steal my joy from passing this cert, NOPE!!—
It’s not a luxury – I earned it! I earn it ever single day. If you don’t feel bad about cheating on the 70-217, then you’re a lost cause. There is no joy from the 70-217, because you didn’t earn it. You simply took it. If you can extract joy from that, you’re a shallow guy indeed. Work hard, enjoy the benefits – there is no greater pleasure. The harder you have to work, the more pleasure when it’s over. That’s actually a life lesson – not something that applies only to certs.
--Do I pray that our paths never cross, YEP, because I'd probably tell you to f*ck off!!! In a jokingly way that is.:->, even if its at the expense of a job. Guys like you are simple and usually assholes anyway so why bother.—
Hm, so, you cheat. I come on and say, “You’re a cheat” – and that somehow makes me an XXXXXXX. Interesting view on life. Sorry to be the bringer of bad news, but if telling it like it is makes me an XXXXXXX, then so be it. I can indeed be an XXXXXXX at times, or I can be great. Usually it depends upon mutual respect. If I respect someone, no problem. If not, then frankly I could care less. Who the hell wants to spend time with people who cheat? People who find something hard and so take a route that allows them to go around it rather than earning it? Not me, so I guess there is no great loss either way. I’m in Germany, not sure if we’ll ever meet, but if we did, I bet you’d fail because of my AD questions –LOL—
--I honestly don't care what you think in regards to this. I think people simply have to do what they have to do, especially in pressure situations. Most of us have been in situations where we've had someone looking over our shoulders, what's your point?—
You’re confused because you are talking in generalities, while I am being very specific. “do what they have to do”? So why not cheat on every damn test? Why bother learning any of it? Think about that, think about what a cert really is, and you’ll have your answer and know why it is important.
The point of the “looking over the shoulder” is simple. You felt a pressure because you could not pass a test. So you cheated. On a consultancy engagement, there will be more pressure – but there are NO cheats. So you’re going to have to learn to deal with that pressure in a professional manner. What you did this time exposed a lack of confidence, and a lack of a willingness to see the process through to the end because you felt it was too difficult. This can be corrected, but it’s not something you ought to be defending by making general comments like this.
--I just allowed this particular cert to get the best of me. I just felt like I had to pass this cert. It was haunting me day in and day out...I felt drained and weary, unable to elevate my level of understanding to a degree that would warrant a Pass, so I resorted to trickery and deciet...woe is me...woe is me...:-)—
Yup - and that weakness needs to be corrected. Or always work in this flawed mode. All I can say, from my own experience, is that you’ll never be truly successful with this outlook. What you should have done is to have taken a week out - doing NOTHING for this test, and then gone back to think about what you don’t know. Use this board, use other boards. Cheating though, was nonsense.
I wish you luck – but as I have said – earn it. You’ll get greater pleasure, and greater rewards. That is what it is all about. If I'm hated for saying it, well, I can live with that. | |
| Riverwind6 2002-10-31, 10:23 pm |
| Man I feel like I'm watching a movie 
Or more like a horse race actually!!! | |
| jeff_j_black 2002-11-02, 11:11 am |
| This is the drama of real life. It doesn't matter whether it's and exam or resolving a tough life situation. The decisions you make, the things that you say, the things that you do, are not controlled by others. Drive your own car. Take responsibility. Do the right thing. Not someone elses right thing, your's. You know when you are crossing the line. You can rationalize yourself straight to hell, or find heaven. Be honest with yourself or else no one will ever trust you. |
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