Back in December 2018 I published the original version of my study resource guide for this exam, and I’ve held off on updating this one because the objectives haven’t changed during that time. However, once I started going through some of the resources I realized there were some better resources available on these topics versus almost two years ago.
An important thing to think about when it comes to when you should sit this exam compared to MD-100, MS-100 or MS-101 is where you think you are more highly skilled. If you have got good general knowledge of Windows 10, especially in a corporate environment, this exam shouldn’t be too much of a struggle for you. However, if you are primarily cloud focused, without too much traditional Windows desktop support and management exposure, I would probably steer you in to MD-101 first, as it’s definitely a more modern exam in terms of the concepts.
For any of you who have been doing Windows exams for a while, this one will feel pretty familiar in many ways, but obviously knowledge of Windows 10 is a requirement. However, you general Windows IT exposure goes a long way with this exam. As with any exam prep, focus on the topics you aren’t that familiar with rather than diving too deeply into things you already know, as this doesn’t generally pay dividends.
If you haven’t already, download the Windows and Office Deployment Lab Kit, which at the time of writing is 26.6 GB in size, but it does fluctuate with releases. This lab environment requires a Hyper-V enabled machine with 16GB-32GB of memory for the best experience, but if you are careful with the VMs you run simultaneously and adjust memory as needed, you might do okay with a lower end PC.
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Deploy Windows (15-20%)
- Install Windows 10
- Perform a clean installation
- Perform an in-place upgrade (using tools such as MDT, WDS, ADK, etc.)
- Select the appropriate Windows edition
- Perform post-installation configuration
- Configure Edge and Internet Explorer
- Configure mobility settings
- Customize the Windows desktop
- Troubleshoot activation issues
- Configure printers and external devices
- Configure Windows 10 by using provisioning packages
- Configure Microsoft Store settings
- Configure application settings
- Configure and manage services
Manage Devices and Data (25-30%)
- Manage users, groups, and devices
- Manage local groups
- Manage local users
- Manage users, groups, and devices in Active Directory Domain Services
- Manage users, groups, and devices in Azure Active Directory
- Configure sign-in options
- Configure devices by using local policies
- Implement local policy
- Troubleshoot group policies on devices
- Configure Windows 10 settings by using group policy
- Manage Windows security
- Configure user account control (UAC)
- Configure Windows Defender Firewall
- Implement encryption
- Configure Windows Defender Antivirus
Configure Storage and Connectivity (15-20%)
- Configure networking
- Configure client IP settings
- Configure mobile networking
- Troubleshoot networking
- Configure data access and protection
- Configure NTFS permissions
- Configure shared permissions
- Configure local storage
- Manage and optimize storage
- Configure file and folder permissions
- Configure OneDrive/OneDrive for Business
Maintain Windows (30-35%)
- Configure system and data recovery
- Perform file recovery
- Recover Windows 10
- Troubleshoot startup/boot process
- Create and manage system restore points
- Manage updates
- Troubleshoot updates
- Select the appropriate servicing channel
- Configure Windows update options
- Plan for Windows Updates
- Configure updates by using Windows Update for Business
- Monitor and manage Windows
- Configure and analyze event logs
- Manage performance
- Manage Windows 10 environment
- Configure local registry
- Schedule tasks
- Configure remote connectivity
- Manage Windows 10 remotely by using Windows Admin Center
- Configure remote assistance tools including Remote Assist and Quick Assist
- Manage Windows remotely by using Windows Remote Management and PS remoting
- Configure remote desktop access
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