diff -up hplip-3.9.2/base/g.py.no-root-config hplip-3.9.2/base/g.py
--- hplip-3.9.2/base/g.py.no-root-config	2009-02-20 00:36:51.000000000 +0000
+++ hplip-3.9.2/base/g.py	2009-02-20 11:13:28.000000000 +0000
@@ -110,6 +110,10 @@ class ConfigBase(object):
     keys = options
 
     def read(self):
+        if filename.startswith ("/root/") or filename.startswith ("/var/"):
+            # Don't try opening a file in root's home directory.
+            return
+
         if self.filename is not None:
             try:
                 fp = open(self.filename, "r")
@@ -119,6 +123,15 @@ class ConfigBase(object):
                 log.debug("Unable to open file %s for reading." % self.filename)
 
     def write(self):
+        filename = self.filename
+        if filename.startswith ("/root/") or filename.startswith ("/var/"):
+            # Don't try writing a file in root's home directory.
+            return
+        elif filename.startswith ("/etc/"):
+            # Certainly don't try writing the system-wide config file!
+            # See bug #479178.
+            return
+
         if self.filename is not None:
             try:
                 fp = open(self.filename, "w")