Cover open in camera mode screen says cover is not open when in fact the cover is open. This message does flash on and off.

REF: https://www.techwalla.com/articles/how-to-use-my-lumix-dmc-fp2-camera-as-a-webcam An unknown fact is that many digital cameras can be used as webcams. The digital camera needs to have a line-out feature as well as a video feature. If you own a Lumix DMC-ZS3 camera, your camera already has those features. With a few easy steps, connect your Lumix to your computer and use it as a webcam. There are no other items needed other than your camera and USB cord.
Step 1 Connect the USB cord to the output of your camera. Connect the other end of the USB cord to an open USB port in your computer. One end of the USB cord fits into the output. The other end of the USB cord fits into the USB port of your computer.
Step 2 Open the lens cover that turns on your camera. Slide the lens cover to the side to open.
Step 3 Press the "Mode" button on your Lumix camera. It is located next to your LCD screen.
Step 4 Press the "Down Arrow" button until you reach "Motion Picture" mode. Click on the "Set" button on the "Motion Picture" setting.
Step 5 Open the program or online site on your computer. Select your Lumix camera as the video source for your program or online site.

Press the OPEN (flash) button.
This button is on the side of the camera just below the flash.

The flash mode button (lightning icon) is at the lower left on the rear of the camera.
This only changes settings when the flash is up.
This cycles through Auto, red-eye reduction, forced flash and no flash.
The mode shows in the finder or the LCD screen.
AUTO mode does not show.

Besides the auto-flash mode, you can select fill flash, flash off, self-timer, and nighttime-view with or without flash.
Press the MODE-SELECTOR BUTTON until the desired indicator appears on the LCD PANEL.
Fill flash and flash off modes remain selected after you take the picture. To cancel the selection, press the mode-selection button or close and reopen the lens cover/flash to return to the auto-flash mode.
Fill flash
When bright light indoors or outdoors comes from behind the subject (backlighting), dark shadows (especially on faces) may occur. Use fill flash to lighten these shadows.

1. Open the LENS COVER/FLASH to raise the flash and to turn the camera ON.
2. Press the MODE-SELECTOR BUTTON repeatedly until the FILL-FLASH INDICATOR appears on the LCD PANEL.
3. Frame your subject within the VIEWFINDER EYEPIECE.
4. Partially depress the SHUTTER BUTTON. When the FLASH/CAMERA-READY LAMP turns off and the fill-flash indicator on the LCD panel stops blinking, fully depress the shutter button to take the picture.

Flash off
When you do not want to use the flash, especially indoors where flash is prohibited, such as in theaters and museums, or when you want to take twilight scenes or distant subjects that are beyond the flash range, or capture the ambiance of existing light, use the flash-off feature. Use a tripod or place the camera on another firm support, and use high-speed film because the shutter speed in these situations will most likely be slow.

1. Open the LENS COVER/FLASH to raise the flash and to turn the camera ON.
2. Press the MODE-SELECTOR BUTTON repeatedly until the FLASH-OFF INDICATOR appears on the LCD PANEL.
3. Frame your subject within the VIEWFINDER EYEPIECE.
4. Press the SHUTTER BUTTON to take the picture.

Self-timer with auto flash
Use this feature to include yourself in pictures.

1. Use the TRIPOD SOCKET to attach the camera to a tripod or place it on another firm support.
2. Open the LENS COVER/FLASH to raise the flash and to turn the camera ON.
3. Press the MODE-SELECTOR BUTTON repeatedly until the SELF-TIMER INDICATOR appears on the LCD PANEL.
4. Frame your subject within the VIEWFINDER EYEPIECE.
5. Press the SHUTTER BUTTON. The SELF-TIMER LAMP will glow and then blink during the last three seconds of countdown.
   • To cancel the self-timer selection before the shutter releases, close the flash.
   • The self-timer automatically turns off after the shutter releases.

Night-view with flash
In this mode, the camera balances the flash and existing light exposure so you can take beautiful pictures of people at sunset or at night. Use a tripod or place the camera on another firm support, and use high-speed film because the shutter speed at night will most likely be slow.

1. Open the LENS COVER/FLASH to raise the flash and to turn the camera ON.
2. Press the MODE-SELECTOR BUTTON repeatedly until the NIGHTTIME-VIEW INDICATOR with flash appears on the LCD PANEL.
3. Frame your picture in the VIEWFINDER EYEPIECE.
4. Press and hold the SHUTTER BUTTON for 12 seconds without lifting your finger. Note: If you remove your finger from the shutter button before 12 seconds, the shutter will time out immediately.
   
5. After 12 seconds, release the shutter button to take the picture.

Night-view without flas
In this mode, you can capture the natural existing light of city-night scenes or fireworks at night. Use a tripod or place the camera on another firm support, and use high-speed film because the shutter speed at night will most likely be slow.

1. Open the LENS COVER/FLASH to raise the flash and to turn the camera ON.
2. Press the MODE-SELECTOR BUTTON repeatedly until the NIGHTTIME-VIEW INDICATOR without flash appears on the LCD PANEL.
3. Frame your picture in the VIEWFINDER EYEPIECE.
4. Press and hold the SHUTTER BUTTON for 12 seconds without lifting your finger. Note: If you remove your finger from the shutter button before 12 seconds, the shutter will time out immediately.
   
5. After 12 seconds, release the shutter button to take the picture.

Does it show pictures on the computer or is it black images, if they are black, your cameras lens cover could be stuck, it opens up when the lens is fully open, dirt-sand and dust or old grease causes the problem. otherwise your LCD on the camera could be off by mistake, (Do a camera reset) or a bad LCD

Hello, I went and researched a few points in the manual and hope this helps to some extent. If this doesn't help, try resetting your camera by removing the batteries for 30 seconds, then reinstalling them and turning on the camera again.
Monitor is blank:
• Camera is off.
• Batteries are not correctly inserted or battery-chamber
cover is not properly latched.
• Batteries are exhausted.
• EH-62B AC adapter (available separately) is not properly
connected.
• Camera is in sleep mode. Press shutter-release button
halfway.
• Monitor is off.
• USB cable is connected.
• AV/Video cable is connected


No picture is taken when shutter release button is pressed:


• Camera is in playback mode.
• Batteries are exhausted.
• Red (!) lamp flickers: flash is charging.
• Green (AF) lamp flickers: camera unable to focus.
• Message "CARD IS NOT FORMATTED" appears in
monitor: memory card is not formatted for use in your
camera.
• Message "OUT OF MEMORY" appears in monitor:
insufficient memory to record picture at current Image
mode setting.

Hello, I went and researched a few points in the manual and hope this helps to some extent. If this doesn't help, try resetting your camera by removing the batteries for 30 seconds, then reinstalling them and turning on the camera again. 
Monitor is blank: 
• Camera is off.
• Batteries are not correctly inserted or battery-chamber
cover is not properly latched.
• Batteries are exhausted.
• EH-62B AC adapter (available separately) is not properly
connected.
• Camera is in sleep mode. Press shutter-release button
halfway.
• Monitor is off.
• USB cable is connected.
• AV/Video cable is connected


No picture is taken when shutter release button is pressed:

• Camera is in playback mode.
• Batteries are exhausted.
• Red (!) lamp flickers: flash is charging.
• Green (AF) lamp flickers: camera unable to focus.
• Message "CARD IS NOT FORMATTED" appears in
monitor: memory card is not formatted for use in your
camera.
• Message "OUT OF MEMORY" appears in monitor:
insufficient memory to record picture at current Image Mode selection.

Press Menu button
togle across from REC Mode to setup
togle down thrice from camera to setup 1
togle across into sub menu
togle down from four times to Initialize
togle across again to the sub-menu
togle up from cancel to OK
press center button to accept the OK choice
Screen changes and so press okay again
It should restart the camera
Opening on the 'Clock Set' screen
togle down to cancel and use the camera and make sure that you have the camera to flash, if it works try again in the Auto function.
If it is still not working do not worry follow the steps again two or three more times, As this is generally a software error message and not a hardware malfunction.
If it is working then don't forget to set your Clock.

Guys - I just recevied a new H9 today. Was using it and decided to turn the flash off. Later on I wanted to turn it back on and I got the famous "flash settings cannot be changed" error message. I found the problem. I had turned on the "continuous shooting" option as I wanted to see how fast it would take photos continuously. When that option is on, you cannot use the flash so therefore you cannot change the flash settings. I put the camera back in "single-shot" mode and now the flash works fine. I hope this fixes your issue.

Thanks, Ken

Defective mechanism, a stucked mechanism is present. camcorder are smart it can detects error and shuts down itself for safety. earlier models dominoes the defect if the user is not quick enough to react when something goes wrong with the camera. You need professional service to fix it.

the problem of your camera is the ccd image sensor...better go to the sony service center for replacing the image sensor..i know it is free for replacing that sensor cause that is one of the model that sony recall produc and the cover not open error message is a poor contact of the lens cover switch...