Lens cover won't open

Stuck automatic lens covers are fairly. But usually it's very easy to fix, without even opening the camera. See this link for troubleshooting steps for this problem.

I had a friend that ran into the same problem, but his solution is not what I would recommend but it did work for him. He used sewing machine oil and applied a tiny amount less than a drop to the crevice of the camera body and the outer lens housing, his was stuck in the retracted position, and he got it going again without a problem.

I had this problem once. The lens was stuck open and the power would not go on. I took out the storage card and the lens retracted.

FOLLOW this procidure open the camera then rotate the lens and set it like it was before

You may have the same problem that i had. It does involve taking the camera apart. Not overly difficult - just fiddly.
Let me know and i'll talk you thro' it

If the lens barrel isn't fully extending on power up, that will prevent the lens cover shutters from springing open. There is a stationary prong that pushes the cover closed when the barrel is retracted.

Does the camera work otherwise? Take pictures thru the half open lens?

sounds like a lens error, does the lens extend or retract? You probably have to get the lens back on track, use gentle pressure wiht the camera face down on a towel covered table and turn on to see if the camera tries to retract the lens. I really dislike these types of cameras that extend the lens everytime, if it turns on in your pocket, your doomed!

I recently had the lens cover stick partly open.  There are 4 segments to the lens cover, and if we number them from the top, number 2 was not closing.
I gently flicked the segments a few times, in case there was a grain of dirt causing it to stick (although the camera has never been in a dirty or dusty environment).  This caused the lens cover to close fully each time, but now it would not open fully, segment 1 would not open, although it would stay open if moved by finger.
Anyway, after a bit of fiddling, I got it working properly again.  The way that the lens cover appears to work is that only segments 2 and 3 are pushed open or shut by springs, segments 1 and 4 are pushed open and shut by tiny tabs that catch on segments 2 and 3.  If the segments somehow get pushed out of alignment, then they either bind (causing the cover not to shut), or they get disconnected (causing the cover not to open fully.
Now I am not sure exactly what I did to get the mechanism form the stuck open state to the not opening state, but from there the way to fix it is to:
-With the lens open...
- Hold segment 2 in the closed position with firm finger pressure (which will tend to push it towards the lens).
- Push segment 1 towards the open position until you can see that it has cleared the edge of segment 2.
- Lift segment 2 way from the lens so that it will rub past segment 1 as you...
- Move segment 1 to the open position.
- Repeat if necessary to get the technique right.

I can't provide any guarantees, and I am not about to repeat the excercise on my camera, but it was a lot easier than sending it off for repair.

Try blowing lots of compressed air around the open lens shutter to clean the mechanism. Or use a hair dryer for a few seconds (don't want to heat up the camera). Also with the lens barrel extended and pointed downward, tap the lens barrel with a pencil while you extend and retract the lens by powering the camera on and off. A grain of sand in the mechanism is usually the culprit, and you want to try to dislodge it.

You can open it up, but only as a very last resort. The above procedures usually work if you try them enough. But for those particularly nasty stuck mechanisms, here's an example repair on a Canon Powershot A400 (do this at your own risk, and it will void your warranty):

http://camerarepair.blogspot.com/2007/11/repair-of-stuck-lens-covers.html

Try blowing lots of compressed air around the open lens shutter to clean the mechanism. Or use a hair dryer for a few seconds (don't want to heat up the camera). Also with the lens barrel extended and pointed downward, tap the lens barrel with a pencil while you extend and retract the lens by powering the camera on and off. A grain of sand in the mechanism is usually the culprit, and you want to try to dislodge it.

You can open it up, but only as a very last resort. The above procedures usually work if you try them enough. But for those particularly nasty stuck mechanisms, here's an example repair on a Canon Powershot A400 (do this at your own risk, and it will void your warranty):

http://camerarepair.blogspot.com/2007/11/repair-of-stuck-lens-covers.html