--- c.msvc9compiler.py	2009-12-19 19:24:15.000000000 +0100
+++ d.msvc9compiler.py	2009-12-19 20:03:41.000000000 +0100
@@ -686,12 +686,12 @@
                     manifest_buf = manifest_f.read()
                     manifest_f.close()
                     pattern = re.compile(
-                        r"""<assemblyIdentity.*?name=("|')Microsoft\."""\
-                        r"""VC\d{2}\.CRT("|').*?(/>|</assemblyIdentity>)""",
+                        b"""<assemblyIdentity.*?name=("|')Microsoft\."""\
+                        b"""VC\d{2}\.CRT("|').*?(/>|</assemblyIdentity>)""",
                         re.DOTALL)
-                    manifest_buf = re.sub(pattern, "", manifest_buf)
-                    pattern = "<dependentAssembly>\s*</dependentAssembly>"
-                    manifest_buf = re.sub(pattern, "", manifest_buf)
+                    manifest_buf = re.sub(pattern, b"", manifest_buf)
+                    pattern = b"<dependentAssembly>\s*</dependentAssembly>"
+                    manifest_buf = re.sub(pattern, b"", manifest_buf)
                     manifest_f = open(temp_manifest, "wb")
                     manifest_f.write(manifest_buf)
                     manifest_f.close()