diff -up hplip-2.8.12/base/g.py.no-root-config hplip-2.8.12/base/g.py
--- hplip-2.8.12/base/g.py.no-root-config	2008-12-17 20:41:12.000000000 +0000
+++ hplip-2.8.12/base/g.py	2008-12-23 10:19:44.000000000 +0000
@@ -107,6 +107,10 @@ class Config(dict):
 
         log.debug("Reading config file %s" % filename)
 
+        if filename.startswith ("/root/") or filename.startswith ("/var/"):
+            # Don't try opening a file in root's home directory.
+            return
+
         try:
             f = file(filename, 'r')
             self.config_obj.readfp(f)