I took the 70-290 exam today and failed with 612. Failing sucks!!!

I want to rewrite it in two weeks time but I can't afford to fail. Where I live the cost to write this exam is is 33% of my salary and its a big sacrifice to spend this amount of money for nothing.

come next week I have to spend this again... I just have to pass.
My problem is that I dont have enough access to a 2003 server installation. I have all the concepts in my head but the sims killed me.

I have a virual computer but it kills my computer when I run it.

Does any one know where I can get free labs to run?

This exam was not that hard... Its just that I suck at the implimentation and have to find a way to be better in two weeks.

I used transender and was getting about 60% on all the exams... I now realize that it give me a true reflection of where I was.

Does any one have suggestions on how I can pass this exam???

A+, BS Computer Science.

I wouldn't take the exam again in two weeks unless you're doing much better.  As a general rule, I won't take an exam unless I'm scoring 90% or better on practice exams.  Even then that's not a guarantee of a pass, but it's a start.

If you did well on the questions but had issues on the simulations, then the only way that you're going to get better enough to pass the exam is to get practical, hands on experience.  Run VirtualPC or VMware Server on your PC and install Windows 2003 and work your way through it.

If you don't have hands on experience with the operating system then you are not ready for the exam.  Period.

I don't know where you can find free labs, but I'm curious what training material you have used so far (besides Transcender)?  Most of the material that I have seen includes a mix of practice exams and lab exercises.

________________________________________
CompTIA A+, Network+, Server+, Security+
MCTS:Windows 7
MCTS:Hyper-V
MCTS:System Center Virtual Machine Manager
MCSE:Security 2003
MCITP:Enterprise Administrator  

How did you do on the exam? I passed it last week. It was a total bear, probably 10 simulations out of 40 questions.

There are no free labs as far as I am aware. You may get simulations with study packages. But the only way to really learn the stuff is to setup your own VMware installation. You can get 60 day trial copies of 2003. A kick-butt machine will set you back $1000 but will have the horsepower and RAM to get several installations up and running. You have to simulate having your 2003 server, creating a domain controller, joining a backup controller to the domain, the dcpromo down, joining a workstation, DNS, lookup zones, all that stuff. You get to practice your networking, getting the machines to talk to each other, all that jazz. While the specific simulations on 290 weren't that elaborate, you need this experience not just for passing the test but for working in the real world. Nothing makes you look dumber than not knowing what something is you should know or where you need to go to find it. (which is why I hate it when microsoft moves everything around with the new version of the OS. Makes me hunt around like a n00b again.)
 

70-290 was the first exam I passed on my way to MCSE after failing 70-270 (XP - really?) and 70-350 (ISA, really?). Of curse, server configuration is one of my stronger suits. I would suggest TestOut, they have a great video training software, with real simulations - that software really helped me alot. And, I am not condoning downloading software that you don't have rights to, and would suggest you purchase it, but if you look hard enough, you can find TestOut. Good luck on your journey!

Brad L.
Systems Engineer
Prestige Technologies
bradlaszlo[at]prestigetech.com
www.prestigetech.com

"Some things Man was never meant to know. For everything else, there's Google."

How'd you do on 291? That's my next one.  

I got side tracked and have not find the time to do it as yet... I have to buckle down and work work work... Come on ken Get focused!!!

Just trying to pump myself up.

You can try virtualbox to make a virtual machine in my opinion it's the best free soluition. Or if that doesn't work buy a second hard drive and have one for server 2003 and one for your main os. To test the stuff out you need to have multiple servers running you connect to yourself from yourself if that makes sense. Or buy a used computer off eBay some that will run server 2003 can be as cheap as 50 bucks if you'd not looking for latest greatest gear and if your lucky it might even have a server 2003 key code on it so right there could be a free copy of server. One last idea maybe if you have a friend is interested is getting certified and he has a computer that can run virtual machines then sucker him into it  

MCSA
MCITP:Enterprise Support
MCTS: Vista Config
MCDST
MCP

I passed this exam a few years back. The tool I used at the time was called Whizlabs and it worked. After passing those practice tests I aced the exam. Honestly 70-620 was harder and I failed that b/c I had less experience with it.

Know user accounts and sharing/security permissions and the differnces in between.
RAID5 and the formula to figure out possbile disk space scenarios. (N-1=X) N= # of drives X = the total amount of space available.
How to backup incremental vs differential

I failed 290 the first time I took it too.  Took it a week later and scored 890.  Trust me when I say to use this practice test.  http://www.examcollection.com/microsoft/Microsoft.CertifyMe.70-290.v2010-03-05.by.Taylor.179q.vce.file.html

It pretty much IS the Microsoft exam.  I just studied it inside and out, until I knew WHY every answer was right and I knew it cold.  Finished the exam in about 15 minutes.  

Good luck.