MCSA/MCSE: Windows XP Professional Fast Pass: Exam 70-270 [With CDROM]

I am approaching this review with the understanding that this book is basically a summary of what you need to know for exam 70-270. I also read the Microsoft Training Kit book for this exam. This books covers a bit of information in its 300 pages, but I certainly would not rely on this one book to teach you what you need to know. The enclosed CD contains two practice exams and flash cards. The book's main weakness, however, is in the questions both on the CD and the ones at the end of each chapter. The questions are not the verbose type found on Microsoft exams and they are much easier - too easy in fact to be of much use. If you want to utilize good questions for the exam try MeasureUp and SelfTest. Their questions are of a higher degree of difficulty and provide explanations for both the correct and incorrect answers.

I read this book and also took a week long MCSE class. I took my 70-270 test today and passed with an 873.

This book fills in alot of the gaps that the Microsoft book leaves out. I believe it is a must to own this book if you are planning to take the 70-270 exam. I must note that the previous reviewer "Jedi" was absoulutly correct in his reviews and he helped me in picking the right books to pass the exam. This book is well written and should be used 2-3 days before going into the exam after using the free Measureup test provided with the Microsoft book. I must say that the Measureup test is VERY good and you will understand alot of it by reading this book and reviewing your answers on the Measureup cd after you get them wrong to see why you got them wrong. I had no prior expierence going into the exam and used this book along with Microsoft's to pass the 70-270 exam.

I used the Microsoft 70-270 book for studying, and a few days before the exam, I just felt completely not ready for it. It is not as good as a book as the earlier reviews have said (read my review of it for an honest opinion). To pass the Microsoft exams these days, you need more than one study source. Two days before my exam, I picked up this book and read it cover to cover. Needless to say, it put in perspective things that the Training Kit made so confusing, and the tables and charts in the book are great for learners. I passed the exam, and believe that the majority of that success came from this book being read in two days than the Microsoft one being read for a month. About the only thing the MS book is good for are the Measure Up tests that are included, but you will have to do quite a bit of external research to get things down if you use that book. While I wouldn't recommend this book as a sole study guide (it wasn't intended for that), I would definitely tell all 70-270 takers to read this book start to end if they don't immediately know that difference between winnt.sif, unattend.txt or RIsetup.exe and RIPrep.exe amongst other things such as Group Policy. Finally, though I used only this and the Microsoft book, please research other 70-270 study guide books to accompany this book, because the MS 70-270 book is just not enough anymore, not with how much the exam has changed since its first release. I know that Sybex are always good, and that the author of this book (Lisa Donald) also has a Sybex study guide. Remember, take a lot of practice tests and learn from the mistakes you make on them!