camera makes funny noise and doesn't take pics

Hi,

I have a Vivitar 3615 ($150 point and shoot, 2.1 mp) which is about 2
years old. I dropped it a few months ago which I thought would take it
out of action but once I readjusted the battery contacts it has worked
fine, Up until now. The most recent events for it we I had iPhoto
erase the pictures in it after I downloaded them and then recharged the
batteries. Once I put the recharged batteries in it made a funny noise
right after being turned on and after I take a picture. All pictures
come out as nothing but black. The LCD viewer doesn't work anymore now.


Has iPhoto ever screwed up other people's cameras? This was the first
time I let it erase the camera's contents.

I've reformatted the memory card, reset the factory defaults, taken the
batteries out and put them back in. Nothing has helped.

Has my camera bit the dust? I am writing to Vivitar to see what they
say but don't expect repairing a camera to be economical anyway. I'm
hoping there is something I can do to perhaps give this camera one more
life...

Thanks.

John L