Repair Bootcamp or Multiple BC Installs

If you damaged a Boot Camp partition, then I recommend option d — that you use Boot Camp Assistant to remove the 42 GB Windows partition and start over. Only Boot Camp can remove that 42 GB Windows partition and automatically give that partition space back to the drive without reformatting the drive to rebuild the partition map.

If you deleted a partition or it is empty, then the data on it is now most likely permanently gone because an SSD automatically erases unused blocks in order to prepare for their use when needed. FYI, when trying to recover data from a drive, you should never touch that drive as you risk overwriting or destroying the data you are trying to recover.

If you really want to attempt data recovery, then you should install macOS to an external drive, then boot from that external drive to attempt to access the data on the internal drive. You can attempt to use a data recovery app such as Data Rescue.

You should always have frequent and regular backups of your computer (and each OS volume) and all external media which contain important and unique data. It is impossible to recover accidentally deleted data from an SSD after the Trash has been emptied. Depending on what happened to the missing partition/volume, most likely the data on it has been permanently destroyed due to how SSDs work internally. SSDs can also fail at any time without any warning signs (even a brand new SSD).

Snick2040 wrote:

I am familiar with how an SDD works. I believe it is called TRIM that would automatically erase the data on the partition in question.

Yes, that is true, but if the partition is "empty", then the SSD may see those blocks as unused and wiped them using the SSD's internal garbage collection routines. Usually once a NAND block is released there is no way to access the data within that NAND block even if that block still contains data because the SSD's maintenance routines have not yet cleared the block. It all depends on what happened to that partition and whether the partition was considered "empty" which could trigger the blocks to be automatically erased.

Why would installing macOS onto an external drive help me in such a situation (and to then use Data Rescue)?

My plan was to install windows onto a new container perhaps container 'disk2' and to then use Acronis Disk from that windows install to try to repair or simple access some of the files on the windows partition 'disk1'.

The first rule of data recovery is to immediately stop using the drive with the data you need to recover. Using the drive risks destroying the data you seek. The only way to boot a Mac and not use the internal drive is by booting from an external macOS boot drive. In order to attempt rescuing your data you will likely need to use a data recovery app which requires using a full version of macOS. You need to proceed cautiously if you hope to recover any data assuming the data still exists and is within reach of a data recovery app.

See if macOS can access those files. If not, then you will need to try using a data recovery app such as Data Rescue, or Stellar, or Easeus (I've only ever used Data Rescue which was many many years ago). If they cannot find those files, then they are most likely gone. You can always contact a professional data recovery service such as Drive Savers or Ontrack to see if they can recover the files. Both vendors provide free estimates and both are recommended by Apple and other OEMs.

FYI, when using a data recovery app if you are lucky, then you will be finding lots of files (hundreds of thousands) which may or may not have file names. It depends how much of the information and directory structure remains intact. Some data recovery apps may only work on volumes/partitions while others may allow you to scan the whole physical drive. I have not used any data recovery apps in many years so this is the best I can recommend. I've never had to (or been able to) recover data from an SSD either.

Snick2040 wrote:

However now when I reboot myself MacBook holding down the options key the windows boot appears. It didn't before and I get this screen below. Did one of these apps bring the windows boot options back up?

Yes, I have seen that happen before. Ideally a data recovery app should not be making any modifications to a drive without explicit permission as the first rule in data recovery is to never modify the original contents of the drive in any manner.

Any thoughts on saving the files/winOS? The control strip doesn't allow me to choose an option. The strip is just blank. Hitting 'fn' does nothing.

These days it is very hard to recover a damaged/broken Windows' installation even on a standard PC, much less on a Mac. If you actually deleted the Windows' partition, then the standard Windows' repair utilities will not likely help you. The Windows' bootloader is actually on the hidden EFI/ESP partition and would remain behind unless you used BootCamp Assistant to remove Windows properly. It is possible you also left the other Windows' partition intact which is used by Windows as a recovery type partition similar to the "recovery mode" partition with macOS.

I've only seen one forum contributor with the necessary knowledge to assist you in attempting to undo the damage, but I have not seen that user post on these forums for a long time now. This is extremely specialized knowledge. While I understand the basics of what to do and possibly could recover the Windows partition if I had physical access to the computer, there is no way I can do it without seeing it first hand. Besides, since this is an SSD and if the partition was erased, then I'm afraid the data on it is gone. You seem to have confirmed that by not being able to find any files with multiple data recovery apps.

As a side note, is it worth it to use parallels with these apps? I can seem to get parallels even find the bootcamp partition yet.

You can certainly try it if you want since what does it hurt at this point? Personally I don't believe you find the data, but I would certainly like to be proven wrong for your sake.