When I turn my Canon PowerShot S3IS camera on all I get is a black screen with symbols. It acts like the shutter is not opeining

The shutter is stuck closed and needs the lens taken apart and the shutter blades cleaned by a camera repairman.

Look into the lense while setting the shutter speed at a half second or so (slow enough for you to see the shutter open and close) and click the shutter release... you should see the shutter open and close. If you don't see this, then you may have a 'sticky shutter' resulting from lubricant seeping into the shutter/aperature mechanism and preventing the shutter from functioning as it should.(Common problem reported with the S2 and S3 cameras... and probably the S1 as well)

I have gotten my S3IS to take pictures by turning on the power, then opening the battery compartment door and reclosing it repeatedly until the shutter opens (from the power surge) and an image appears on the LCD.

After confirming the sticky shutter was indeed the problem, I pursued a more permanent fix.

A stuck shutter is another common failure mode for digital cameras. The symptoms of a stuck or "sticky" shutter are very similar to CCD image sensor failure. The camera may take black pictures (for shutter stuck closed), or the pictures may be very bright and overexposed, sometimes with lines, especially when taken outdoors (for shutter stuck open). To confirm a stuck shutter, put the camera in any mode other than "Auto", and turn the flash OFF (you don't want to blind yourself for the next step). Next look down the lens and take a picture. You should see a tiny flicker in the center of the lens as the shutter opens and closes. If no movement is seen, then you likely have a stuck shutter. If so, please see this link for further info and a simple fix that may help.

A stuck shutter is another common failure mode for digital cameras, ESPECIALLY for the S2 IS (you should actually complain to Canon at 1-800-OK-CANON. If it is indeed a sticky shutter, they have been fixing this for free). The symptoms of a stuck or "sticky" shutter are very similar to CCD image sensor failure. The camera may take black pictures (for shutter stuck closed), or the pictures may be very bright and overexposed, especially when taken outdoors (for shutter stuck open). To confirm a stuck shutter, put the camera in any mode other than "Auto", and turn the flash OFF (you don't want to blind yourself for the next step). Next look down the lens and take a picture. You should see a tiny flicker in the center of the lens as the shutter opens and closes. If no movement is seen, then you likely have a stuck shutter. If so, please see this link for further info and a simple fix that may help. Hope this saved you $99.

It could be a stuck shutter. To confirm a stuck shutter, put the camera in any mode other than "Auto", and turn the flash OFF (you don't want to blind yourself for the next step). Next look down the lens and take a picture. You should see a tiny flicker in the center of the lens as the shutter opens and closes. If no movement is seen, then you likely have a stuck shutter. If so, please see the following for further info and a simple fix that may help:

http://camerarepair.blogspot.com/2009/05/simple-fix-for-stuck-shutter.html

A stuck shutter is another common failure mode for digital cameras. The symptoms of a stuck or "sticky" shutter are very similar to CCD image sensor failure. The camera may take black pictures (for shutter stuck closed), or the pictures may be very bright and overexposed, especially when taken outdoors (for shutter stuck open).

To confirm a stuck shutter, put the camera in any mode other than "Auto", and turn the flash OFF (you don't want to blind yourself for the next step). Next look down the lens and take a picture. You should see a tiny flicker in the center of the lens as the shutter opens and closes. If no movement is seen, then you likely have a stuck shutter. If so, please see the following for further info and a simple fix that may help:
http://camerarepair.blogspot.com/2009/05/simple-fix-for-stuck-shutter.html

After you select it with the small black button, it should kick in by pressing the regular shutter button.
Make sure the timer icon is showing...
Give it a test run...that should do it.

That sounds like a sticky lens shutter. They usually have to be replaced, as they usually will need parts. When the camera is working look inside the lens and take a picture(with flash turned off). You should see a black shutter door clicking shut in the lens. When the camera acts up, look inside the lens again. If the door is staying shut full time, that is your problem.

Check this link.