Rating: 
Summary: Must have in your test prep toolbox
Review: Everyone has a perferred/optimal style for learning- formal training, CBT's, Transcender exam and any one of the many review books out there. Regardless of your style- I think the Win2k Pro MS readiness review (70-210) is a cheap must have. It's ideal reading material right before taking the exam. I really appreciated the brief, to-the-point style Mr. Wilansky used to quiz and explain the 'exam' aspects of supporting Win2k pro. This is a readiness review- (i.e., test prep- after/in addition to studying) not a how to guide- and I think the book excels in this aspect. This book does not provide the fundamental, core knowledge and experience needed to successfully operate as an experienced MCSE- but it is a good read prior to actually taking the exam. It also comes with sample test questions that are a lot cheaper than others. I really like that the book explains why the incorrect answers are deemed incorrect- very helpful. The verbage and 'real world examples' are great- much better than other books in its class.
Rating:
Summary: Must have in your test prep toolbox
Review: Everyone has a perferred/optimal style for learning- formal training, CBT's, Transcender exam and any one of the many review books out there. Regardless of your style- I think the Win2k Pro MS readiness review (70-210) is a cheap must have. It's ideal reading material right before taking the exam. I really appreciated the brief, to-the-point style Mr. Wilansky used to quiz and explain the 'exam' aspects of supporting Win2k pro. This is a readiness review- (i.e., test prep- after/in addition to studying) not a how to guide- and I think the book excels in this aspect. This book does not provide the fundamental, core knowledge and experience needed to successfully operate as an experienced MCSE- but it is a good read prior to actually taking the exam. It also comes with sample test questions that are a lot cheaper than others. I really like that the book explains why the incorrect answers are deemed incorrect- very helpful. The verbage and 'real world examples' are great- much better than other books in its class.
Rating: 
Summary: For Review and not much more.
Review: Hard to rank this book. It's just spose to be a review book but thier just isn't enough questions to make it your only source. The chapter reviews are too short and not much there. However, the best part of this book is the questions with the reasons why the answers are right and wrong. Reading why the answers are wrong and what would make them right is one of the best review ways I have found, and the only reason I give this book 4 instead of 2 Stars plus it's only... (Cheaper by far than most Study Guides). Using this book with other Study books works great in tandem for preparing for the exam. On it's own this book isn't worth much.
Rating: 
Summary: Just a book with little new info and some questions
Review: I did the 70-210 exam in August 2002. This book was written in Novemeber 2000. There lies the problem. This book has 1-2 page review information on each 70-210 objective. Then this is followed by questions, although useful will not really help you in the now pass/fail(no numeric score) 70-210 exam. I saw similar structured questions in the actual exam but that's is where the similarties end. No questions from this book were in my exam. I have read some good reviews on this book but i don't agree with their short assessments. However it is not completely useless. You can buy it just for a quick review but you are better off getting quick cramsession etc like study guides and questions from the internet. I am giving this book 3/5 stars because i considered some of the answer explanations useful. I liked the explanation on back up types and when they should be used. As i said before this book is not completely usesless it reinforced my existing knowledge but that's all it did. It is not some "all in one quick guide to passing the 70-210 exam". If i had to prepare for the exam again i would buy a more modern review book and not this one.
Rating:
Summary: Excellent Book - Makes 70-210 Test Seem Easy!
Review: I scored an 820 on the test with only a few nights worth of studying. The sample questions in this book were very close to the actual test. It almost seemed too easy. I would definitely recommend this book and cd-rom to anyone who is looking to take the 70-210 test.
Rating:
Summary: Primary exam prep tool
Review: This book and my PC were the only tools I used to prepare for this exam (and experience). The review questions in the book were close to most of the exam. I wasn't looking for a perfect score, but I also didn't take the exam for granted.
Rating:
Summary: Distilling what you need to know for the test
Review: This book is titled "Readiness Review" for a reason - its purpose is to distill down what you need to know FOR THE EXAM - to make sure you are ready for it. You'll need other resources for ALL the detail behind what is contained in this book but once you know Windows 2000 Professional you need this book to distill down what you need to know for the test. Otherwise there is just too much to know and remember. I've been an MCSE since 3.51 and this book, as well as the other "Readiness Review Guides" are a godsend. The author does an excellent job of getting to the point of what you need to know to pass Exam 70-210 and putting that information at your finger tips in an easy to read and organize format.
Rating:
Summary: Good for a post-study review.
Review: This book never implies that it should be used as your main study guide. Rather, this does what IT ADVERTISES it should: reviews your body of knowledge for the 210 exam prior to actually laying down the $125. The explanations of both correct AND incorrect answers is EXTREMELY VALUABLE. Being able to deductively eliminate subtly incorrect choices will definitely be a crucial skill to have when you actually take the test. Additionally it has some scenarios right out of the test DESPITE the fact that it was published in 2001. Where the Exam Cram & Sybex titles focus very strongly on Network Protocols, Installation, Disk/Hardware Management, User/Group Management, Local Security, and Group Policy, the 210 test focuses very strongly on those overlooked details of client configuration. Do you know how 2000 uses the "Default User" profile vs "All User" profile? This book answers addresses questions of this nature that are glossed over by other publishers. MAIN ADVICE FOR THE EXAM: get access to a Win2K Pro machine and do the exercises at the beginning of each objective:
· Practice destroying/repairing/copying/modifying/customizing User Profiles in AS MANY POSSIBLE WAYS as you can.
· See for yourself what happens when you copy encrypted files on one volume into compressed folders on another volume.
· Make your own groups and test out what each permission & logon right does
· Finally, do an Unattended Install and a Sysprep Install several times MAKING THE ANSWERFILE FROM SCRATCH without Setup Manager
Rating:
Summary: Good for a post-study review.
Review: This book never implies that it should be used as your main study guide. Rather, this does what IT ADVERTISES it should: reviews your body of knowledge for the 210 exam prior to actually laying down the $125. The explanations of both correct AND incorrect answers is EXTREMELY VALUABLE. Being able to deductively eliminate subtly incorrect choices will definitely be a crucial skill to have when you actually take the test. Additionally it has some scenarios right out of the test DESPITE the fact that it was published in 2001. Where the Exam Cram & Sybex titles focus very strongly on Network Protocols, Installation, Disk/Hardware Management, User/Group Management, Local Security, and Group Policy, the 210 test focuses very strongly on those overlooked details of client configuration. Do you know how 2000 uses the "Default User" profile vs "All User" profile? This book answers addresses questions of this nature that are glossed over by other publishers. MAIN ADVICE FOR THE EXAM: get access to a Win2K Pro machine and do the exercises at the beginning of each objective:
· Practice destroying/repairing/copying/modifying/customizing User Profiles in AS MANY POSSIBLE WAYS as you can.
· See for yourself what happens when you copy encrypted files on one volume into compressed folders on another volume.
· Make your own groups and test out what each permission & logon right does
· Finally, do an Unattended Install and a Sysprep Install several times MAKING THE ANSWERFILE FROM SCRATCH without Setup Manager
Rating:
Summary: How to know you are ready for the exam
Review: This book, as its title advertises, provides a good final preparation for the exam. It is not, and was never intended to be, an encyclopaedic compendium of material on Windows 2000 Professional, nor is it a tutorial on the subject. Its usefulness occurs after you learn the material, and want to know whether you know enough to pass the exam. People come to certification exams with varied preparation paths: Some are learning the material for the first time. For these, a tutorial supplemented by reference material and hands-on exposure are preferred for gaining subject-matter knowledge. Others, however, work daily with the product in question, and do not need a tutorial. But eventually, both will ask the question, "Am I ready for the exam?" Both can use this book to find out. And both can use this book to learn where they need to review. Successful performance under pressure (in sports, in music, on certification exams) comes from preparation. We are told to make the preparation setting similar to the performance setting, so that we perceive the variations we encounter during performance as fairly routine, to be taken in stride. This book puts you in an exam environment as many times as you want, and alerts you to what you need to focus on, so you can tune up for the real thing. If this is what you expect, it will serve you well.
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