I got a nice note from Bob, suggesting that I write something up
for the nospin web page, and I intend to do it in the next week or
so.

  In the meantime, though, I've received 6-8 messages asking (a) what
resources I used, and (b) what I recommend.  Rather than reply
individually to everyone, here's the basic poop:

What I used

  Sybex publishes two volumes by David Groth, one on the core module
and one on the DOS/Windows module.  They're available singly, or
together as a "kit".  They've been revised for 1998; the revised
edition says so on a red band along the top of the cover and around
the spine.
  I purchased the 1998 kit, on special, for about $45; www.cbooks.com
lists it for about $50.
  I mostly hit the review questions, and went back and read chapters
wherever I found the questions too challenging.  The review questions
ARE the questions used in the sample tests included on CD-ROM.
  I never did better than 90% on the sample tests, because there were
several questions for which the books' answers were wrong.  In at
least one case, the selection of answers reproduced on the solution
page was different from that shown on the question page....  There
were other technical errors in the books, too, that did not show up
on sample questions or the final exam.
  I cannot, in conscience, recommend that people rely on this as
their only study guide, even though I found it sufficient.

What I recommend

  I'm also studying towards MCSE certification over the next couple
of months.  So far, I've been reasonably impressed with the "Exam
Cram" books, and I see on www.cbooks.com that they also have an A+
volume.  I HAVE NOT ACTUALLY SEEN THIS BOOK, but I feel much more
comfortable suggesting it to people.
  As a general rule, I would say that if you don't pass (65%) the
sample test from a book the first time through, you probably want to
study books from at least two different sources, in hopes that each
will cover things that the other misses.
  And places where they disagree might make good on-topic questions
for PCBUILD....  I noticed at least one question which I had not seen
covered in  the books, but I knew I had seen the answer here!

David G

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