I have to agree...back in 99 when I got my MCSE I didn't buy any books or anything.  The way I looked at it, I'd been doing the job for a LONG time and if I didn't know enough to pass, then there was a major problem.  Went in and passed all but one of the exams with 940+.  The one that I failed was the IIS exam (didn't do a lot with extending IIS so I missed a few there).  I boned up on the parts I was weak on and went back 2 weeks later and passed with flying colors.