help compiling Python on vs 2008!

[inhahe]

In order to compile Python, I need to compile 7 external libraries manually 
that don't come with Python, the first being tcl. I'm compiling on VS 2008. 
Since the Python source doesn't have a PCBuild9 directory, I'm using the 
PCBuild8 directory. When following readme.txt to a T, tcl won't compile. 
First it gave me an error because an environment variable wasn't set, so I 
dug in and found out what needs to be set (MSDEVDIR, MSVCDIR, or MSSDK) and 
set it. Not that I know what it needs to be set to, but I made a good guess 
based on some google searches. Now I don't get that error, but I get a 
truckload of C errors when compiling.
Here's the first one, or actually, all the output up to and including the 
first C error:

Microsoft (R) Program Maintenance Utility Version 9.00.21022.08
Copyright (C) Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.

===============================================================================
*** Compiler has 'Optimizations'
*** Compiler has 'Pentium 0x0f fix'
*** Linker has 'Win98 alignment problem'
*** Intermediate directory will be '.\Release\tcl_Dynamic'
*** Output directory will be '.\Release'
*** Suffix for binaries will be ''
*** Optional defines are ''
*** Dependency rules are not being used.

cl -nologo -c -W3 -YX -Fp.\Release\tcl_Dynamic\ -QI0f -O2 -Op -Gs -MD -I
"..\win" -I"..\generic" -DTCL_PIPE_DLL=\"tclpip84.dll\" -DBUILD_tcl -Fo.\Relea
se\tcl_Dynamic\ @E:\Users\ADMINI~1\AppData\Local\Temp\nmD926.tmp
cl : Command line warning D9002 : ignoring unknown option '-YX'
cl : Command line warning D9002 : ignoring unknown option '-QI0f'
cl : Command line warning D9002 : ignoring unknown option '-Op'
regerror.c
..\generic\regerror.c(53) : warning C4996: 'errcode': This name was 
supported du
ring some Whidbey pre-releases. Instead, use the standard name errno_t.
C:\Program Files\Microsoft Visual Studio 9.0\VC\INCLUDE\crtdefs.h(548) :
see declaration of 'errcode'
..\generic\regerror.c(53) : error C2081: 'preg' : name in formal parameter 
list
illegal


what is going on here, and how do I compile these external libraries?