Links in Hotmail emails don't open in new tab

Question

Someone apparently made changes in about:config settings. I opened my home page MSN and when I clicked on Hotmail link, the Hotmail sign in page opened in a new tab. Previously when I clicked on teh Hotmail link on MSN home page, the sign in page would open in a new window in the same tab. I made a change in about:config and fixed that, though I cannot remember exactly what I did. Sorry for that! Now when I read one of my Hotmail messages, and I click on a link in one of them, the link opens in a window in the same tab. Until last night (after I returned from being out shopping) the link in a Hotmail message would open in a new tab. That's how I'd like it. I'd also like the Hotmail sign in page to open in a new window in the same tab when I click on the Hotmail link on the MSN homepage.
Can anyone tell me what I need to change in about:config to do this?
== This happened ==
Not sure how often
== last night after I got home from shopping

Answer 1

Hi Morbus,
Please forgive the very delayed response. It is due to illness. I have copied and pasted the information as you instructed, and maybe you might have some insight as to what is going on. Any input is much appreciated.
Application Basics
Name
Firefox
Version
3.6.3
Profile Directory
Open Containing Folder
Installed Plugins
about:plugins
Build Configuration
about:buildconfig
Extensions
Name
Version
Enabled
ID
Microsoft .NET Framework Assistant
1.2.1
true
{20a82645-c095-46ed-80e3-08825760534b}
HP Smart Web Printing
4.60
false
[email protected]
Google Toolbar for Firefox
7.0.20100326W
true
{3112ca9c-de6d-4884-a869-9855de68056c}
KeyScrambler
2.6.0.0
true
[email protected]
BetterPrivacy
1.47.4
true
DownloadHelper
4.7.3
true
Java Console
6.0.18
true
ColorfulTabs
4.6
true
{0545b830-f0aa-4d7e-8820-50a4629a56fe}
Personas
1.5.3
true
[email protected]
Open Profile Folder
1.3.2
false
Java Console
6.0.20
true
Fasterfox
3.8.4
false
Aviary
0.8.7.2
true
Flash Killer
1.2.1
true
[email protected]
Fasterfox (EladKarako Mod)
3.1.2b
true
Skype extension for Firefox
4.2.0.5198
true
Modified Preferences
Name
Value
browser.history_expire_days_min
1
browser.link.open_newwindow
1
browser.places.importBookmarksHTML
false
browser.places.smartBookmarksVersion
2
browser.startup.homepage
http://www.msn.com/
browser.startup.homepage_override.mstone
rv:1.9.2.3
browser.tabs.loadInBackground
false
dom.event.contextmenu.enabled
false
extensions.lastAppVersion
3.6.3
font.name.serif.x-western
Palatino Linotype
font.size.variable.x-western
17
general.useragent.extra.microsoftdotnet
( .NET CLR 3.5.30729)
network.dnsCacheEntries
512
network.dnsCacheExpiration
3600
network.http.max-connections
40
network.http.max-connections-per-server
16
network.http.max-persistent-connections-per-proxy
12
network.http.pipelining
true
network.http.pipelining.firstrequest
true
network.http.pipelining.maxrequests
6
network.http.proxy.pipelining
true
places.last_vacuum
1276093538
print.print_printer
HP Officejet J4500 Series
print.printer_HP_Officejet_J4500_Series.print_bgcolor
true
print.printer_HP_Officejet_J4500_Series.print_bgimages
true
print.printer_HP_Officejet_J4500_Series.print_command
print.printer_HP_Officejet_J4500_Series.print_downloadfonts
false
print.printer_HP_Officejet_J4500_Series.print_edge_bottom
0
print.printer_HP_Officejet_J4500_Series.print_edge_left
0
print.printer_HP_Officejet_J4500_Series.print_edge_right
0
print.printer_HP_Officejet_J4500_Series.print_edge_top
0
print.printer_HP_Officejet_J4500_Series.print_evenpages
true
print.printer_HP_Officejet_J4500_Series.print_footercenter
print.printer_HP_Officejet_J4500_Series.print_footerleft
&PT
print.printer_HP_Officejet_J4500_Series.print_footerright
&D
print.printer_HP_Officejet_J4500_Series.print_headercenter
print.printer_HP_Officejet_J4500_Series.print_headerleft
&T
print.printer_HP_Officejet_J4500_Series.print_headerright
&U
print.printer_HP_Officejet_J4500_Series.print_in_color
true
print.printer_HP_Officejet_J4500_Series.print_margin_bottom
0.5
print.printer_HP_Officejet_J4500_Series.print_margin_left
0.5
print.printer_HP_Officejet_J4500_Series.print_margin_right
0.5
print.printer_HP_Officejet_J4500_Series.print_margin_top
0.5
print.printer_HP_Officejet_J4500_Series.print_oddpages
true
print.printer_HP_Officejet_J4500_Series.print_orientation
0
print.printer_HP_Officejet_J4500_Series.print_pagedelay
500
print.printer_HP_Officejet_J4500_Series.print_paper_data
1
print.printer_HP_Officejet_J4500_Series.print_paper_height
11.00
print.printer_HP_Officejet_J4500_Series.print_paper_size_type
0
print.printer_HP_Officejet_J4500_Series.print_paper_size_unit
0
print.printer_HP_Officejet_J4500_Series.print_paper_width
8.50
print.printer_HP_Officejet_J4500_Series.print_reversed
false
print.printer_HP_Officejet_J4500_Series.print_scaling
1.00
print.printer_HP_Officejet_J4500_Series.print_shrink_to_fit
true
print.printer_HP_Officejet_J4500_Series.print_to_file
false
print.printer_HP_Officejet_J4500_Series.print_unwriteable_margin_bottom
0
print.printer_HP_Officejet_J4500_Series.print_unwriteable_margin_left
0
print.printer_HP_Officejet_J4500_Series.print_unwriteable_margin_right
0
print.printer_HP_Officejet_J4500_Series.print_unwriteable_margin_top
0
privacy.cpd.extensions-betterprivacy
true
privacy.cpd.siteSettings
true
privacy.sanitize.migrateFx3Prefs
true
privacy.sanitize.timeSpan
0
security.warn_viewing_mixed
false