Microsoft Learning YouTube Channel

March 23, 2011 at 3:49 pm | Posted in Certification Paths, Microsoft, Study hints, Technical Tips | Leave a comment
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A few weeks ago, I saw an announcement of  Microsoft Learning’s YouTube channel.  It contains videos on troubleshooting server products, tutorials on technologies and certifications and related career profiles. Recently, they added some playlists on the Microsoft Master program, managing SharePoint 2010, and the desktop experience in Windows 7.

I think these are well worth the time to watch (and the price is certainly right). For example, if you’re new to Microsoft certifications, you might want to learn about specialty items like case studies/testlets and active screen. You certainly don’t want the first time you see these things to be when you are taking the exam!  The YouTube videos provide a good introduction to these item types:

 

So check out the Microsoft Learning YouTube Channel and let us know what you think!

And just to show that I’m not all-Microsoft-all-the-time, if you’re a CompTIA certified professional, a fan of our Transcender Trainers, or just can’t get enough of YouTube videos – we have some great information on our very own Transcender Trainers Channel as well, so be sure to check us out!

A+ Windows 7 Video Series – Part III

March 3, 2011 at 10:57 am | Posted in CompTIA, Transcender news | Leave a comment
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The third part of our video series with Mike Meyers is available here. In this video, we discuss the changes to the 220-701 and 220-702 Exam Guides from CompTIA and tell you just what we expect to see on the exams for Windows 7 and IPv6. We hope you’re enjoying watching these as much as we enjoyed making them!

Parts 1 & 2 of our video series are still available; check them out here.

~ Robin

A+ Windows 7 Video Series – Part II

February 24, 2011 at 9:40 am | Posted in CompTIA, Transcender news | Leave a comment
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The second part of our video series with Mike Meyers can be accessed by clicking here. This is where we get into the real meat of the A+ changes. You don’t want to miss it!

We touch on the historical trends for CompTIA certification updates and spell out the steps to access the new exam objectives and how to identify the new content. For our friends who have expressed frustration regarding tested topics not currently in your practice test products or study guides, Mike offers his experience about unscored items.

Also, in case you’re just joining us and you missed the first part of our video series, catch up here!

-Robin

A+ Windows 7 Video Series with Mike Meyers

February 15, 2011 at 8:36 am | Posted in CompTIA, Transcender news | 1 Comment
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My video sessions with Mike Meyers are finally ready for release! There are four video sessions, and we will be releasing one video each week for next four weeks. I hope that these videos give you some insight into just what the Windows 7 refresh of the A+ exams means to you. 

To watch the first video in the series, please click here. This one is just a quick intro, but if you don’t have the time to watch it now, visit our Transcender home page anytime this week to check it out.

I am eagerly awaiting your comments on this. (No making fun of the accent!)

And would someone please contact Mother Nature for me to request an end to the snow? She and I are no longer on speaking terms. This Alabama girl is getting tired of the wintry weather. 

Roll Tide! Yes, we do say that all the time here…
~Robin

P.S. If you haven’t seen the Roll Tide commercials on ESPN, you won’t get my joke! So you may want to watch this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nvyknw4VClE.

What We’re Working On – February Edition

February 7, 2011 at 5:29 pm | Posted in Transcender news | 10 Comments
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We had so much news to share in January that it’s hard to believe it’s time to recap what we’re working on in FEBRUARY.

From looking at our 2011 Development Calendar, I think it’s safe to say we have a jam-packed year ahead. But as always, things change so quickly in this business that I’ll limit the news in this post to the line-up we currently have in development. I’ll start with the most requested products: Windows Server 2008 R2 updates and Visual Studio 2010.

George called in some favors and has Troy helping him with the last few R2 updates for the Cert-70-646 and Cert-70-647 exams. Both of these updates are scheduled to release at the end of February. As George discussed in his previous post, if you already purchased these products, you can log into your Club Account at the end of the month to look for updates. If you’re waiting for the updates to roll out before buying a practice test, you can find out when the new version is released by checking the product description on our Web site. We’ve kept the Marketing team busy, and they’ve updated all product descriptions to include R2 as the new versions become available for sale.

Josh will finish up the VS 2010 practice tests. The 70-513 C# and 70-513 VB are available now, and the 70-516 will be released next month. The order of attack for the remaining practice test products in this track will be as follows:

  1. 70-518
  2. 70-521
  3. 70-519
  4. 70-523

I’m hoping Josh doesn’t check out this blog post because he’s focusing on one project schedule at a time, and I’m afraid seeing this list in writing may cause some anxiety.

You’ve probably read Robin’s posts about the A+ refresh, so it should come as no surprise that her first priority this year is to ensure that our practice tests adequately cover any new content being tested on the exams. As is usual practice here, we will wait to confirm that changes in the CompTIA exam are available nationwide and/or globally before releasing any new content in our practice tests, but since Robin’s made a lot of progress already, those A+ revisions to our products should release within days of the new exam content hitting test centers! Keep checking back with us, or ask Robin directly, and we’ll let you know as soon as we know regarding a release date.

Finally, our Oracle 11g practice tests products are getting a facelift. Most of this product line has been on the shelf for a while and it didn’t take us long to get Bob his very own project blueprint and schedule. He’ll be identifying the Release 2 version changes in the Oracle exams against our practice test content and closing any content gaps in our products. We should release the first revision, Cert-1Z0-051, by mid-March.

That covers the most recent projects & customer requests I’ve received, but if there’s a specific exam you’re studying for or a track you’re looking to explore this year, feel free to email us through the Transcender site or drop a comment at the end of this post. Either way, your emails always make their way to someone on this team and we’ll give you the most updated information we have regarding practice test products.

Thanks for reading & stay warm!
~ Aima

A+ Windows 7 refresh: A few thoughts

January 31, 2011 at 5:21 pm | Posted in CompTIA, Transcender news | 1 Comment
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Well, here it is January 31, 2011, and I am diligently working on A+ once again. CompTIA announced last year that it would be  updating the A+ exams this month to include questions about Windows 7 and IPv6. So far, we haven’t heard anything more. While customers have been asking us about our A+ practice test updates,  no one has reported actually seeing the new content in a certification exam. Just like you, folks, we are waiting to see the new content hit test centers. But while we’re waiting, I can give you a few insights from my past years of A+ experience, and tell you where I would focus my attention if I were studying for the test today.

As always, start by taking a look at the Exam Guide from CompTIA located at http://www.comptia.org/certifications/testprep/examobjectives.aspx. (You will need to provide some information to download the objectives.) While the objective’s titles still include 2009, the relevant objectives have already been updated.

When it comes to Windows 7, you’ll need to familiarize yourself with the different editions that are available. You need to understand all the hardware requirements for installation, the installation methods, and the upgrade paths from other operating systems. You will also need to know how to navigate to the common tools that are used.

As for IPv6, you need to understand how it compares to IPv4. Here’s some quick bullet points:

  • 128-bit addresses, versus 32-bit with IPv4
  • Larger packet size accommodation
  • More secure (IPSec enabled)
  • Allows 340 undecillion addresses, versus 4 billion with IPv4
  • Allows double-colon zero suppression – FF02:30:0:0:0:0:0:5 can be rewritten FF02:30::5

If you’ve read my previous posts, you may remember me mentioning that I had the rare (and as it turns out very rewarding!) opportunity to meet Mike Meyers near the end of last year. We recorded some chat sessions about the A+ exam refresh and the new expiration policy for the A+, Network+, and Security+ certifications. And I CANNOT wait to share everything we talked about with y’all! The wait is almost over…we have four sessions we think you’d like to see, and starting February 14th, we’ll release one of those sessions each week!

So you should hear from me again in a couple weeks. Until then, let us know if you see any Windows 7 or IPv6 content on those exams – without violating the NDA or posting actual questions, of course! Let me reiterate, PLEASE do not include actual exam questions in your comments, many thanks. Just share your general observations of any changes to the exam. Or ask any questions about the expected changes, and we’ll be happy to answer as many as we can.

-Robin

Upgrade 70-682: An objective look at the exam objectives

June 24, 2010 at 4:02 pm | Posted in Microsoft, Study hints | 6 Comments
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I recently took the new 70-682 exam, Pro: Upgrading to Windows 7 MCITP Enterprise Desktop Support Technician.  The exam combines objectives of the 70-680 exam with objectives of the 70-685 exam.  Passing this exam will upgrade your XP Microsoft Certified Desktop Support Technician (MCDST) or Vista Enterprise Desktop Support Technician (EDST) certifications to the EDST Windows 7 certification.

Exam objectives

The 70-682 prep guide specifies what’s on the exam, but I strongly recommend that you look at the more detailed list of objectives from 70-680 and 70-685.  For example, here is the description of the Identifying Cause of and Resolving Desktop Application Issues objective from the 70-682 guide:

  • Solve software installation escalations.
  • Solve software configuration escalations.

Here is the description of the same objective from the 70-685 exam guide:

  • Identify and resolve new software installation issues.
    • This objective may include but is not limited to: installation permissions; local administrator requirement; licensing restrictions; digital signing
  • Identify and resolve software configuration issues.
    • This objective may include but is not limited to: enabling and disabling features; advanced settings; pointing to a network resource; changing the default settings on the image
  • Identify cause of and resolve software failure issues.
    • This objective may include but is not limited to: checking the logs; checking whether the application runs in Safe mode; running the application in a previous version of Windows; repairing the installation; checking recently added programs; restoring or reimaging the system

Although I was told by my teachers and have, in turn, preached to my students that if you know what’s on the prep guide, you will pass the test, I suggest you don’t practice what I preach when it comes to 70-682. Instead, you should know all the details of the corresponding objectives from 70-680 and 70-685.  I will add the updated objective list at the end of this blog post.

Exam format

The 70-682 test is presented in two sections; one for the 70-680 and one for the 70-685. Each part is timed separately. Once you finish the first section and move on to the next section, you cannot go back to the first section.  You cannot carry over any remaining time from one section to the other section if you complete the first section before time expires. The clock resets when you go to the next section. Your score report will display a bar graph for the 70-680 section and the 70-685 section.

Are the questions on the 70-682 exam the same as the ones you have seen on the 70-680 and the 70-685?  No, of course not.  As with other upgrade exams, the topics are the same, but the questions themselves are not recycled. In fact, with a few modifications to their traditional multiple choice exams, Microsoft has put together an upgrade exam that tests your Windows 7 knowledge on multiple levels.

Compiled objectives list

The 70-682 is not a difficult exam, but it is important that you know what’s expected of you. Failing an exam is not fun. Failing an exam when you thought you were prepared for it, is even worse! So because I wish for all of you to leave the Prometric test center with a smile on your face, here is my compiled version of the objectives that you should know to be successful on the 70-682 upgrade exam:

Identifying Cause of and Resolving Desktop Application Issues

  • Identify and resolve new software installation issues.
    • This objective may include but is not limited to: installation permissions; local administrator requirement; licensing restrictions; digital signing
  • Identify and resolve software configuration issues.
    • This objective may include but is not limited to: enabling and disabling features; advanced settings; pointing to a network resource; changing the default settings on the image
  • Identify cause of and resolve software failure issues.
    • This objective may include but is not limited to: checking the logs; checking whether the application runs in Safe mode; running the application in a previous version of Windows; repairing the installation; checking recently added programs; restoring or reimaging the system

Identifying Cause of and Resolving Networking Issues

  • Identify and resolve logon issues.
    • This objective may include but is not limited to: hardware vs. network; password expiration; trust relationships with machine accounts; determining logon context; logon hours compliance
  • Identify and resolve network connectivity issues.
    • This objective may include but is not limited to: determining scope of issue; determining whether it’s a PC or a network connectivity issue; TCP/IP; hardware and cabling; proxies; default gateway
  • Identify and resolve names resolution issues.
    • This objective may include but is not limited to: checking which DNS is assigned; flushing the DNS cache; nslookup to DNS server; checking the DHCP scopes
  • Identify and resolve network printer issues.
    • This objective may include but is not limited to: hardware failure; server issues; printer failure; network issues; driver issues

Managing and Maintaining Systems That Run Windows 7 Client

  • Identify and resolve performance issues.
    • This objective may include but is not limited to: analyzing system and application logs; analyzing started services; setting power management; checking hard drive space; optimizing virtual memory
  • Identify and resolve hardware failure issues.
    • This objective may include but is not limited to: identifying bad sectors; diagnosing memory issues; recommending replacement hardware; updating the BIOS; determining which component is broken

Supporting Mobile Users

  • Identify and resolve wireless connectivity issues.
    • This objective may include but is not limited to: signal strength; encryption types; encryption keys; wireless profiles; mobile devices
  • Identify and resolve remote access issues.
    • This objective may include but is not limited to: VPN client not connecting; IPv6 support; access and authentication to network resources

Deploying Windows 7

  • Capture a system image.
    • This objective may include but is not limited to: preparing system for capture; creating a WIM file; automated capture; manual capture
  • Prepare a system image for deployment.
    • This objective may include but is not limited to: inserting an application into a system image; inserting a driver into a system image; inserting an update into a system image; configuring tasks to run after deployment
  • Deploy a system image.
    • This objective may include but is not limited to: automated deployment methods; manually deploying a customized image
  • Configure a VHD.
    • This objective may include but is not limited to: creating, deploying, booting, mounting, and updating VHDs; offline updates; offline servicing

Configuring Hardware and Applications

  • Configure devices.
    • This objective may include but is not limited to: updating, disabling, and uninstalling drivers; signed drivers; conflicts between drivers; configuring driver settings; resolving problem device driver
  • Configure application compatibility.
    • This objective may include but is not limited to: setting compatibility mode; implementing shims; compatibility issues with Internet Explorer
  • Configure application restrictions.
    • This objective may include but is not limited to: setting software restriction policies; setting application control policies; setting through group policy or local security policy
  • Configure Internet Explorer.
    • This objective may include but is not limited to: configuring compatibility view; configuring security settings; configuring providers; managing add-ons; controlling InPrivate mode; certificates for secure Web sites

Configuring Network Connectivity

  • Configure IPv4 network settings.
    • This objective may include but is not limited to: connecting to a network; configuring name resolution; setting up a connection for a network; network locations; resolving connectivity issues; APIPA
  • Configure IPv6 network settings.
    • This objective may include but is not limited to: configuring name resolution; connecting to a network; setting up a connection for a network; network locations; resolving connectivity issues; link local multicast name resolution
  • Configure networking settings.
    • This objective may include but is not limited to: adding a physically connected (wired) or wireless device; connecting to a wireless network; configuring security settings on the client; set preferred wireless networks; configuring network adapters; configuring location-aware printing
  • Configure Windows Firewall.
    • This objective may include but is not limited to: configuring rules for multiple profiles; allowing or denying an application; network-profile-specific rules; configuring notifications; configuring authenticated exceptions
  • Configure remote management.
    • This objective may include but is not limited to: remote management methods; configuring remote management tools; executing PowerShell commands

Configuring Access to Resources

  • Configure shared resources.
    • This objective may include but is not limited to: folder virtualization; shared folder permissions; printers and queues; configuring HomeGroup settings
  • Configure file and folder access.
    • This objective may include but is not limited to: encrypting files and folders by using EFS; configuring NTFS permissions; resolving effective permissions issues; copying files vs. moving files
  • Configure user account control (UAC).
    • This objective may include but is not limited to: configuring local security policy; configuring admin vs. standard UAC prompt behaviors; configuring Secure Desktop
  • Configure authentication and authorization.
    • This objective may include but is not limited to: resolving authentication issues; configuring rights; managing credentials; managing certificates; smart cards with PIV; elevating user privileges; multifactor authentication
  • Configure BranchCache.
    • This objective may include but is not limited to: distributed cache mode vs. hosted mode; network infrastructure requirements; configuring settings; certificate management

Configuring Mobile Computing

  • Configure BitLocker and BitLocker To Go.
    • This objective may include but is not limited to: configuring BitLocker and BitLocker To Go policies; managing Trusted Platform Module (TPM) PINs; configuring startup key storage; data recovery agent support
  • Configure DirectAccess.
    • This objective may include but is not limited to: configuring client side; configuring authentication; network infrastructure requirements
  • Configure mobility options.
    • This objective may include but is not limited to: configuring offline file policies; transparent caching; creating and migrating power policy
  • Configure remote connections.
    • This objective may include but is not limited to: establishing VPN connections and authentication; enabling a VPN reconnect; advanced security auditing; NAP quarantine remediation; dial-up connections; remote desktop; published apps

Happy testing,
–George Monsalvatge

Ready for some Windows 7 exam info? Catch Thursday’s Exam Cram!

March 10, 2010 at 11:57 am | Posted in Microsoft | Leave a comment
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Register now for a free Windows 7 Exam Cram live meeting, hosted by Born to Learn and MCT Craig Brown. The webinar is tomorrow (March 11 2010) at two time slots:

Look for them to cover the following Windows 7 Technology Specialist and IT Professional exams:

70-680 – TS: Windows 7, Configuring (Find the Transcender practice exam here)

70-685 – Pro: Windows 7, Enterprise Desktop Support Technician (Transcender practice test due in March!)

70-686 – Pro: Windows 7, Enterprise Desktop Administrator (coming soon from Transcender)

If we’re lucky, they may have more info on the yet-unreleased exam 70-682: PRO: Upgrading to Windows 7 MCITP Enterprise Desktop Support Technician (available March 2010, according to Microsoft Learning).

What We’re Working On – February Edition

February 10, 2010 at 4:54 pm | Posted in Transcender news | Leave a comment
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Love is in the air this month, and we’re expressing our feelings through great new content to help you along the road to certification success!

We’re just days away from releasing a super-sized version of our CISSP practice test product. While our existing product covers all the topics and information you’ll need to pass your exam, the latest revision reorders the Objectives and includes the SubObjective changes seen in the updated ISC2 exam. So expect to see more items and a few new SubObjectives in the soon-to-released version of our CISSP practice test.

For those of you on the ASP.NET fast track, we have a couple of 3.5 upgrade products releasing this month; namely, Cert-70-566 and Cert-70-568 in C# and VB versions. Josh is also writing items for our 70-565 practice test. It’s too early to tell if he prefers the Enterprise Applications content to the ASP.NET Applications topics, but either way, I’m expecting to hear a big sigh of relief when he’s completed the 3.5 products and upgrades.

As you may have read in recent blog posts, Troy is already deep into study mode for the new CCNP certifications. We expect to see the first two new exams, ROUTE and SWITCH, release soon, followed by the brand-new addition to the track, TSHOOT, in the spring. We’ll do our best to keep you posted on any new release dates or other announcements regarding the changes to Cisco’s CCNP certifications as they become available.

The release of our first Windows 7 practice test, Cert-70-680, was well received, so I’m guessing you’re all anticipating the release of the next Windows 7 practice test. George is hard at work on the 70-685 practice test product and we expect to release that next month.

So while February brings us frigid temperatures and the end of NFL Sundays, we look forward to the warmth of the Olympic Couldron, your stories of IT certification study needs and concerns, and the release of new practice test products that help you succeed.

-Aima Rotella

Help for help desks and beyond: the amazing Windows 7 Problem Recorder tool

November 20, 2009 at 6:04 pm | Posted in Microsoft | 1 Comment
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Have you ever had an exchange like this when trying to assist a user with a technical support issue?

User: My Frizzapp is not working.

You: Okay, tell me how it happened.

User: Well, I got this ugly error message and then it froze up and when I tried to close it I got another message and then it all just went away.

You: What did the error message say?

User: I dunno, something about a .dll or something. I’m not a technical guy, you know.

You: I guess I’ll have to come over there and help you.

About this time you are thinking, I wish this guy could just tell me accurately what the heck happened, and maybe I wouldn’t have to go all the way to his computer to fix this. Okay, maybe you’re thinking something a little more explicit, but there are entire web sites devoted to IT horror stories (“No, it is NOT a coffee cup holder!”) and you’ve probably got them bookmarked, so you don’t need my help there.

I’m happy to report that the Windows 7 developers must have worked the trenches of the help desk front lines, because  the IT support tool you’ve been waiting for is built right into Windows 7! It called the Problem Steps Recorder, and it’s very simple to teach the end users how to work it. You can even use the tool to create a tutorial for the tool itself. In a nutshell, the user starts the recorder and then duplicates the steps that caused the problem. The tool doesn’t just record all the steps taken by the user, but also records information about the files and applications used during the process, and creates a zip file that the user can send to you. Then you can view the file with no special software (uses Internet Explorer) and get a precise snapshot of the issue.

To open the tool, just hover over the Windows 7 orb in the lower left-hand corner. In the Search box, type “Recorder.”

Search field in the Windows 7 Programs list

From the search results, choose “Record steps to reproduce a problem” under Control Panel. Continue Reading Help for help desks and beyond: the amazing Windows 7 Problem Recorder tool…

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