- Exam Details
- Trouble Spots
- Preparation Hints
- Recommended Study Resources
- Exam Objectives
- Where to Go from Here
Preparation Hints
Microsoft has geared this particular exam toward support technicians. According to the Microsoft website, “Candidates for this exam should have at least three years of experience installing, configuring, and administering any Windows operating system in a networked environment and at least two years of experience providing desktop, laptop, and mobile device support.” Hands on experience is beneficial for passing any Microsoft certification exam, but having hands on experience with desktop support should really be considered a prerequisite for passing this exam.
Part of the reason behind this statement is that knowledge of Windows 7 alone may not be enough. The exam focuses heavily on enterprise deployments and image management. As such, some have reported encountering questions related to System Center Configuration Manager and other image management tools.
While there is no substitute for hands on experience, hands on experience alone probably will not be sufficient for passing the exam. As such, it is recommended that you begin your preparation efforts by acquiring a reputable practice exam (there is a link to a reputable practice exam in the next section). Taking a practice exam before you begin studying will help you to get a feel for the types of questions that you are likely to see on the test. This knowledge can go a long way toward helping you to know what you need to be studying.
It is also recommended that you avoid brain dump sites at all costs. Brain dump sites (and fly by night exam prep sites that promise to provide actual test questions) are notorious for providing incorrect information. Sometimes the test questions may not cover the actual exam objectives. Other times the questions have incorrect answers marked as correct. It is worth spending a little bit of money and getting a reliable practice test.
Another reason for avoiding brain dump sites is that Microsoft is rumored to operate a few of the brain dump sites and allegedly uses the sites to catch test cheats.
Finally, I recommend that you use Microsoft’s list of skills measured as a guide, but not as an absolute promise of what you can expect to see on the exam. Exam 70-682 is made up of questions from Exam 70-680 and Exam 70-685. Therefore, you should take some time to review the objectives for those exams rather than relying solely on the exam objectives that Microsoft provides for Exam 70-682.