Help in getting started with DirectX

1) My book ("Tricks of the Windows Game Programming Gurus ed1" ) teaches DirectX 8.1 SDK. Is it fine to have that SDK on for ease-of-understanding w/ the book, or use the updated DirectX 9.0c SDK?

2) Relating to DirectX 8.1 SDK, the book says I need the following library files:

ddraw.lib
dsound.lib
dinput.lib
dsetup.lib
dplayx.lib

Now, the next three are nowhere to be found in the library folder.

d3dim.lib
d3drm.lib
dsound3d.lib

Did MS do their yearly remove & replace somewhere?

Thanks,
dxfoo

i never knew of the last 3 but I know you don't need them.

They're mainly for retained and intermediate mode. I can say that d3d8.lib now holds the old file that use to be d3dim.lib.

I assume that dmusic3d.lib bundled with dsound.lib?

EDIT: Thanks for the help. The Microsoft message board answered all my questions in great lengths. I feel 1% smarter on DX now lol.