camera is no longer working properly

I gave the camera to my wife's daughter a few months ago after I bought a new camera for myself, and was informed that the 945 is now malfunctioning - freezing up suddenly with the lens extended, even when the batteries are fresh. I will not even attempt to have the camera repaired, based upon the experiences of other posters below. The camera is only about three years old and is apparently not fixable. A disgrace, considering I paid $390 for the camera along with add-on lenses, filters, and an adaptor tube. I'll now have to buy my wife's daughter a new camera, and you can bet it won't be a Hewlett-Packard.