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Home > Archive > 70-218 > August 2002 > Failed today...
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| ruscorp 2002-08-07, 12:44 pm |
| I'm sorry to report but I failed 218 just an hour ago.  My exam basically consisted of like 80% AD questions, 10% IIS and 10% troubleshooting. I continuously got grilled one after another about AD and finally fell to my knees. The test was 61 questions and I had 120 min to complete. | |
| necrophantasm 2002-08-07, 2:03 pm |
| Hey Russ,
Don't get down about it man. Everybody fails at one time or another (or at least that is what I tell myself every time I fail an exam). Take a couple of weeks and go back over the material. Now that you have taken the exam once, you are in a much better position than before because you know what to expect and what to concentrate on. Use that knowledge when you are studying for it next time. Now that you know what your focus should be, you won't be wasting time on topics the exam doesn't really cover or care about. Good luck on the next round! | |
| NetChild1985 2002-08-07, 2:32 pm |
| Don't give up! Better luck next time!  | |
| ruscorp 2002-08-07, 5:11 pm |
| I must say one thing though, that 218 Transcender sucks big time. I only saw a hand full of questions similar to the ones on the test. I stress the word similar once again.
I have little hands-on with AD because my network is NT 4 so that's a big killer on me. | |
| Zaraspook 2002-08-07, 8:46 pm |
| 
The advantage is now in your court! You know what the test will throw at you and you have identified your weak area. Now concentrate on your weak area and pass it next time! | |
| maxcronjob 2002-08-08, 8:18 am |
| Hey dude,
That whole Microsoft PASS/FAIL-and-we-won't-even-tell-you-what-you-got-wrong crap is a bunch of hooey. Me thinks its a racket to get more deneiro from testers, but that's just me. You probably passed. Think of it that way and you should have no problems passing it next time.
Max | |
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| Sorry to hear you failed man.
Out of interest, how did it compare to 215.
218 is probably my next one, I guess I should just concentrate on AD then?
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| ruscorp 2002-08-08, 10:53 am |
| maxcronjob: I know it's just a money maker. Have you ever read the bottom of a score report. It states: "Microsoft certification exams are designed to validate your ability to perform a specific job function or to set tasks in the real world. These exams are neither designed nor intended to provide feedback on areas for potential improvement." In other words they don't give a hoot about helping you improve yourself.
A5H: Add DNS to your list as well. I forgot to include that too. | |
| CyberDude 2002-08-08, 12:15 pm |
| The reason that Transcenders are endorsed by Microsoft is for the pure fact that they do not produce Q's similar to the exam ones.
The only way you will get Q's similar to the exams is to use BD's, but then make sure you have books and hands on so that you can investigate every Q first. 
I have the 218 Transcender and think it is alright, as it points me in directions where I am still a little drousy in. | |
| DivxGuy 2002-08-08, 12:58 pm |
| I think what he means by "similar" is similar in structure, content, and level of difficulty. I fully agree that Transcenders are often lacking in this area.
RD | |
| ruscorp 2002-08-08, 2:37 pm |
| DivxGuy: Correct. I did very well on my practice Transcenders scoring like between 750 and 800 points. I also used the Sybex 218 guide, Freak's 218 guide, cert21 and the Cramsession guide. | |
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| ...suck for 218, in my opinion. The first time around (I failed it), I remember studying my butt off for so many things that Transcenders pounded on and the exam never even touched. For example, subnetting (aside from the standard gateway, ip address, mask kind of questions). Ridiculous.
Transcenders is good for getting information - the right and wrong explanation - but it is absolutely NOTHING like the real exam.
Focus on DNS (when do you set a primary, secondary, etc.), what are host files and what do you do with them when something is wrong; IIS, some RRAS, lots of GPO questions, lots of general AD. The first time around I simply got blindsided by IIS and Terminal Services and was absolutely hammered on DNS; the second time I definately got IIS and DNS but was also blessed with the occasional default gateway, safe mode, recovery console, and EFS questions. Gives you room to breathe.
Don't get discouraged ruscorp. Just grab anything you think will help and use it. Take some other practice exams and figure out why you missed the ones you missed. It does get easier, this much I do know.
You can't imagine how long it finally took me to realize that Microsoft ALMOST ALWAYS wants you to give a share FULL CONTROL with restrictions applied at the NTFS level. Duh. Those kinds of questions got a whole lot easier after that finally, finally sunk in. The practice exams help with this sort of thing. Transcenders is as good as any for this, but I think they so overdo it trying to trip you up that they lose their teaching edge. They're lucky they haven't permanently lost somebody in a question. Maybe I'm whacked, I don't know.
Let me know if I can help in any way. | |
| CyberDude 2002-08-09, 11:23 am |
| Redmond are doing an $18 deal for their test engines at the moment. They are advertised on this sites home page. I have downloaded and used their demo, and it seems quite good, especially their explanations. | |
| ruscorp 2002-08-09, 1:25 pm |
| TRIBO: Yea, I remember those subnetting questions coming up on the 218 Transcender. I had my friend teach it to me because I thought it would be on the test and there wasn't even one question on it [aside from what you said: standard gateway, ip address, mask kind of questions]. I think I have broken down my study areas into a few weak spots:
1.) DNS + WINS
2.) RAS
3.) brush up on IIS
4.) brush up on AD
5.) TCP/IP Troubleshooting
I consider myself a master of troubleshooting stop errors, mbr probs, efs/compression and that sort of stuff so I will put little focus on them.
Please tell me a little more about your two testing experiences. Hopefully I will have no more than two as well.
CyberDude: Where'd you get the demo? How many freebies do ya get before Redmond wants more loot? | |
| CyberDude 2002-08-10, 12:42 am |
| To get the demo click on the link which is at this sites home page. It is either the top one or the second one. | |
| tech274 2002-08-24, 1:09 pm |
| With some of the MsPress kits, you get a copy of 2000 Server or Advanced Server,you can install for 3 months , setup and actually work with AD.
Personally, I will not even try it until I have covered all aspects of the 70-218 that I can create at home.
I have created a web site, FTP site, multiple users, group policies, OU's and it gives me a much greater understanding than just reading about it.
Good Luck on the Retry |
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