# Windows Live Mail 2012: UI and resource format reconstruction

> Windows Live Mail 2012 research reconstructs the Japanese edition's UI layout, resource and message-store formats from an owned installation. The author used REA for PE resource inventory, Ghidra for DLL loader analysis and Python decoders to document UIB layouts, RLE images, ribbon definitions and ESE read status. The rebuilt mail app remains private; the repository publishes tools, specifications and findings.

- Type: Case study
- Targets: App · Binary
- Category: Community REA investigations
- Relationship: Author-reported mixed workflow
- Sources reviewed: 2026-11-06
- Added to the catalog: 2026-11-08
- Original resource: <https://github.com/hinatamaxxx/wlm2012-research>
- Primary source: <https://github.com/hinatamaxxx/wlm2012-research/blob/2b630499c25216228af7db98e53c1cf2a5f352e0/README.md>
- Catalog page: <https://awesomerea.org/resources/wlm2012-research-case/>
- Record JSON: <https://awesomerea.org/resources/wlm2012-research-case/record.json>
- Chinese version: [简体中文](https://awesomerea.org/zh/resources/wlm2012-research-case/index.md)

## Requirements & limits

- **Prerequisites:** The tools use a locally owned Windows Live Mail 2012 installation; target files are placed under targets/Windows Live/.
- **Prerequisites:** Python 3 is required; the ESE reader additionally needs dissect.esedb.
- **Limits:** The rebuilt mail application is not distributed.
- **License:** MIT license for the authored tools and documentation.

## Primary sources

1. <https://github.com/hinatamaxxx/wlm2012-research/blob/2b630499c25216228af7db98e53c1cf2a5f352e0/README.md>
2. <https://github.com/hinatamaxxx/wlm2012-research/blob/2b630499c25216228af7db98e53c1cf2a5f352e0/tools/README.md>

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## About this entry

The description was reviewed against primary sources.
Original editorial content: MIT. Linked projects, papers and assets retain their own rights and licenses.