How dumb can one be thats me

Please tell us also, which version of "GParted" you use(d). 0.3.9-4
Do you have an extra USB storage device (key or external harddisk) Only a 1 GB Lexar USB stick
Because you did not format your disk (I hope !)
I have 40 gig HD and since I was limited there and financially I first downloaded ubuntu 8.04 and burned a CD and installed in dual boot. with a swap. So I had 1 NTFS+1ext1+1swap
Had visions of a triple boot and because of 40 gig HD said goodbye to windows and booted for a while with just ubuntu. Upgraded to 8.10 and eventually was ready to fulfill my triple boot linux vision. Hey old mans folly but its my adventure and only one I have at 76.
So back to gparted and the dumbest move of my life.
I deleted the ext3 ubuntu partition, deleted swap, exited gparted never giving a thought to not having anything to boot to.
It is an HP ze4935wm with 1.21 GB ram
The power key is unresponsive naturally. Any help greatly appreciated.
Any other info please ask.
Fortunate to have my spouse's desktop

Hello Allen,
first of all, the conditions for recovery are NOT THAT BAD ! Version 0.3.9-4 of "GParted" works well with my script (but only on a "GPartedLive" CD not with UBUNTU's integrated version). The USB stick would be suitable, too (empty or how much space left, Filesystem ?). The 3 partitions you mentioned (NTFS, ext1 or ext3 ? , swap) are indicated in their physical sequence and were all primary ? What you did with "Gparted" (deleting all partitions) has probably altered nothing, but the Master Boot Record and there especially the partition tables. Even "Grub" might still be there with its backup of the original former Master Boot Record.

What does this mean : "The power key is unresponsive naturally." ? You must be able to boot from a CD ROM, otherwise you get no access to the built-in harddisk !

And here is the "How To" for the first step : to get information from your corrupted harddisk.

1. Download my script "MC_HxEd" (only 43 KB!), store it to the root folder of your USB-Stick.
2. Boot your laptop with "GpartedLive" CD. The harddisk with its unallocated space will be shown.
Note its device name, e.g. hda
3. Attach the USB Stick, wait a few moments, and then start "Gparted" again with the icon on the Desktop, not by reboot !
4. Switch to the USB-Stick to show its partitioning (arrow top right on the "Gparted" window, where the harddisks device name is displayed), note its device name, too (e.g. sda)
5. Double click "Terminal" icon on the desktop, type and confirm after each line (use your noted device names, not my sample; number with "sda" is not a fault!)

mkdir /mnt/usb
mount /dev/sda1 /mnt/usb
mkdir /mnt/usb/BootRec
cp /mnt/usb/MC_HxEd /home
cd /home
./MC_HxEd

6. You are now working with my script.
a) Double click on all [+]es  , to expand treeview menu.
b) Double click on  ( "hda"(or your device's name! ) / "Model") "Show- Block(s)", type: 0#32
c) You now see the MBR ([Pos 1]; no need for you to look upon it; it gets stored on the stick later !)
d) Exit with [F10], the second display shows the stored files in a file manager( not permanent at "home",  permanent at "BootRec" ! We have to copy ".BLK"-files manually later, see below), quit with [F10] or close window, and you are back to treeview.
e) Repeat step b) to d) with 63#10, stop at the file manager !
g) Copy all ".BLK" files to "BootRec": highlight first file in "home" ([TAB] to toggle sides), press [F5],
confirm, copy second
g) Double click on "Storage Devices" ( the uppermost item; this generates a detailed report about your harddisk's physical data, which gets stored automatically on your stick).
i) Shutdown "GParted"

7. Upload all files on your stick( hda_0_32.BLK, hda_63_10.BLK and drvs.dat; zip it to one file, if you want to) to "http:\\www.mediafire.com" and tell us the download link.

Well, that's enough work for the moment !