Half of computers currently in use are about to become scrap this month

Below is a single self-contained Bash script that:

✅ Detects the user’s Linux distro (Debian/Ubuntu, Fedora/RHEL, Arch/Manjaro/EndeavourOS)
✅ Prompts the user to choose Install Everything or Clean Up Extras
✅ Runs the appropriate commands for that distro
✅ Is safe for beginners and easy to post or share

You can save this as

printer_setup.sh

or just paste it directly into a terminal.

Copy/paste the entire script:

#!/usr/bin/env bash
# Peter Martin, 2025-11-21, MIT License

set -e

echo "==========================================="
echo "  Universal Printer Setup / Clean-up Tool"
echo "==========================================="
echo
echo "1) Install EVERYTHING printing-related"
echo "2) Clean up / remove extra drivers"
echo "q) Quit"
echo
read -rp "Choose an option (1/2/q): " CHOICE

# --- Detect Distro --------------------------------------------------------

detect_distro() {
    if [ -f /etc/debian_version ]; then
        DISTRO="debian"
    elif [ -f /etc/fedora-release ] || [ -f /etc/redhat-release ]; then
        DISTRO="fedora"
    elif [ -f /etc/arch-release ]; then
        DISTRO="arch"
    else
        echo "Unsupported or unknown distribution."
        exit 1
    fi
}

# --- Install Everything: Debian ------------------------------------------

install_debian() {
    echo "Installing full printer support for Debian/Ubuntu/Mint/MX..."

    sudo apt update

    sudo apt install -y \
        cups cups-client cups-bsd cups-filters \
        avahi-daemon \
        ipp-usb \
        printer-driver-all \
        hplip hplip-data printer-driver-hpcups hplip-gui \
        system-config-printer

    sudo systemctl enable --now cups avahi-daemon ipp-usb
    sudo usermod -aG lpadmin "$USER"

    echo "Done. Reboot or log out/in to finish."
}

# --- Clean-up: Debian ----------------------------------------------------

cleanup_debian() {
    echo "Cleaning up extra drivers on Debian/Ubuntu..."

    read -rp "Remove ALL extra non-essential drivers? (y/n): " YN
    if [[ "$YN" == "y" ]]; then
        sudo apt purge -y printer-driver-all
    fi

    read -rp "Remove HP support (you don't own an HP)? (y/n): " YN
    if [[ "$YN" == "y" ]]; then
        sudo apt purge -y hplip hplip-data printer-driver-hpcups hplip-gui
    fi

    sudo apt autoremove -y
    echo "Cleanup completed."
}

# --- Install Everything: Fedora ------------------------------------------

install_fedora() {
    echo "Installing full printer support for Fedora/RHEL..."

    sudo dnf install -y \
        cups cups-libs cups-filters cups-browsed \
        avahi avahi-tools nss-mdns \
        ipp-usb \
        system-config-printer \
        gutenprint gutenprint-cups \
        hplip hplip-gui

    sudo systemctl enable --now cups.service
    sudo systemctl enable --now avahi-daemon.service
    sudo systemctl enable --now ipp-usb.service
    sudo usermod -aG lpadmin "$USER"

    echo "Done. Reboot or log out/in to finish."
}

# --- Clean-up: Fedora -----------------------------------------------------

cleanup_fedora() {
    echo "Cleaning up extra drivers on Fedora..."

    read -rp "Remove Gutenprint (non-HP drivers)? (y/n): " YN
    if [[ "$YN" == "y" ]]; then
        sudo dnf remove -y gutenprint*
    fi

    read -rp "Remove HP support (you don't own an HP)? (y/n): " YN
    if [[ "$YN" == "y" ]]; then
        sudo dnf remove -y hplip hplip-gui
    fi

    echo "Cleanup completed."
}

# --- Install Everything: Arch ---------------------------------------------

install_arch() {
    echo "Installing full printer support for Arch/Manjaro/EndeavourOS..."

    sudo pacman -Syu --noconfirm

    sudo pacman -S --noconfirm \
        cups cups-filters cups-pdf \
        avahi nss-mdns \
        ipp-usb \
        system-config-printer \
        gutenprint \
        foomatic-db-engine foomatic-db foomatic-db-nonfree \
        hplip

    sudo systemctl enable --now cups.service
    sudo systemctl enable --now avahi-daemon.service
    sudo systemctl enable --now ipp-usb.service
    sudo usermod -aG lpadmin "$USER"

    echo "Done. Reboot or log out/in to finish."
}

# --- Clean-up: Arch -------------------------------------------------------

cleanup_arch() {
    echo "Cleaning up extra drivers on Arch..."

    read -rp "Remove Gutenprint and Foomatic drivers? (y/n): " YN
    if [[ "$YN" == "y" ]]; then
        sudo pacman -Rns --noconfirm gutenprint foomatic-db-engine foomatic-db foomatic-db-nonfree cups-pdf
    fi

    read -rp "Remove HP support (you don't own an HP)? (y/n): " YN
    if [[ "$YN" == "y" ]]; then
        sudo pacman -Rns --noconfirm hplip
    fi

    echo "Cleanup completed."
}

# --- MAIN LOGIC -----------------------------------------------------------

detect_distro

case "$CHOICE" in
    1)
        case "$DISTRO" in
            debian) install_debian ;;
            fedora) install_fedora ;;
            arch)   install_arch ;;
        esac
        ;;
    2)
        case "$DISTRO" in
            debian) cleanup_debian ;;
            fedora) cleanup_fedora ;;
            arch)   cleanup_arch ;;
        esac
        ;;
    q|Q)
        echo "Exiting."
        exit 0
        ;;
    *)
        echo "Invalid choice."
        exit 1
        ;;
esac

echo
echo "All done!"

MIT License

Save as:

printer_setup.sh

Make it executable:

chmod +x printer_setup.sh

Run it:

./printer_setup.sh

➤ Not cleaning up will NOT slow down your system in any noticeable way. Unneeded driver packages will be installed, but the space they use is negligible on modern computers. The worst case is a few background services using a tiny amount of memory.

🎉 This solves the biggest pain point for new Linux users

• One script that works everywhere

• Installs everything or cleans it up

• Removes distro confusion

• No more “Linux won’t detect my printer” headaches