to resolve the problem, i uninstalled build 2.6.9.8 and reinstalled build 2.6.9.6, which was the build that i had installed before installing build 2.6.9.8.. (i missed installing the build 2.6.9.7-update, before installing the build 2.6.9.8-update.. i didn't bother to install build 2.6.9.7, to test it, to see if it had the same bugs that build 2.6.9.8 has)..
i am using firefox 34.0, and i never use FF's "private browsing mode", and i have never used TOR..
here is a screenshot, showing the settings that i use.. while the screenshot shows that FF is running within "sandboxie", i tested things while FF was not running within "sandboxie" and it was the same:
