Question about Outlook Express

I just logged in for the first time in a few months and all of my old emails and contacts have been deleted.  I was keeping the account because there was no easy way to download all of those emails, many of which had significant value/importance to me.  I've had this account since 1999, so the emails and contacts go back a long way.  Often times, when I log in I'll see emails from old friends that don't have my current use email account.