archive empty!

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I hope someone can help me! I usually auto archive when Outlook prompts me,
and whenever (rarely) I wanted to look at something, I could always just
click in the archive folder and see them all over there. I never even looked
at the Auto- archive settings until today, when I went to look for something,
and the whole folder is empty! Where did everything go?

So I looked under Tools>Options>Other>AutoArchive settings and see a box
checked that says "Archive or delete old items" and another that says "Delete
expired items (email folders only). !!!!!!!

Why 'archive OR delete'? There's a damn big difference between the two!
Did Outlook delete all my old emails??!?!?!?!?!?!?!?

What are expired item?!?!?!?!?!

I need them now for a court hearing!!!!!!!

HHEEELLLLLPPPPPP!!!!!
.