MCSA - study suggestions? anyone who has taken the exams?

[Mizugori]

I am planning to take the MCSA exam, and I was going to take 70-270 (the Windows XP exam) first. I looked at some books and like the Exam Cram book ( http://search.barnesandnoble.c...AN=9780789733603&itm=3 ) but then I noticed the reviewer mentioned that the exam is not exactly focused on Windows XP. They wrote:

This is a good book if you want to learn about win xp with sp2. It has good questions about win xp. Now heres the problem. The microsoft test on Win XP doesnt ask questions about Win xp directly. The questions on the test are for the most part indirectly related to XP. It could have been win 2000. Also bluetooth, active dir, domains.Also the Sybex book is a good book to learn about win xp. Unfortunately the test is not about XP. Good Luck

This seems absurd but it made me reconsider buying this book. Has anyone taken the MCSA (specifically 70-270) exams? Can someone give me advice on what to study, in particular what book/s would be good to prepare me?

Thanks!

 

[Nitemare]

Never taken the MCSA, just the MCSE and the examcram series was a nice supplemental book for the old MCSE stuff

 

[bGIveNs33]

check out techexams.net... they have a lot of good info.

 

[MiniDoom]

It's been a while but I think I remember a few unattent.txt questions. That on wasn't too bad. I would buy a practice exam for 70-293. That one was the hardest of the 7 for me.

 

[Joemonkey]

Originally posted by: Nitemare
Never taken the MCSA, just the MCSE and the examcram series was a nice supplemental book for the old MCSE stuff

You sure? Depending on which 7 test you take for your MCSE you can get your MCSA along with it (I did)

If you have worked with AD and administered Windows 2000/2003 for a few years, you probably have enough experience to just get the testkings and blow through the tests. If you have no experience, I honestly recommend some classes where you can ask questions rather than books. Labs are pretty essential to fully understanding, but again, if you just want to pass the tests for the paper cert, snag the testkings...