Instead of downloading a pre-built binary DMD package, build it from source starting with the last C++-only version.
Whether to build a debug DMD. Debug builds are faster to build, but run slower.
Use Visual C++ to build DMD instead of DMC. Currently, this is a hack, as msbuild will consult the system registry and use the system-wide installation of Visual Studio. Only relevant for older versions, as newer versions are written in D.